We’ve learned (via Polygon) that Los Angeles-based developer Spark Unlimited has ended game development, and laid off all their staff. They will reportedly no longer making games, following the release of their last game, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z.
The news comes via a former employee, who corroborated the details originally found by NeoGAF, where the company’s assets were up for sale via asset liquidation site CMA Auctions.
“It’s the end of Spark as a game developer,” said John Butrovich, chief technical officer at Spark Unlimited, to Polygon. He pointed out that principal members of the studio “have decided to move on to other things.” Spark Unlimited co-founder Craig Allen quietly resigned as president and CEO from the company late last year “to pursue other ventures and interests.”
While their free-to-play game and any remaining projects have been cancelled, they are no longer working on games. However, they have other means of income, which include a 2014 movie called Nightmare Code, the earnings of which go to a trustee.
From what it sounds like, ex-Spark Unlimited principals and employees will continue to work together on projects outside of video games. The studio had been in business since 2002, and released their first game, Call of Duty: Finest Hour, in 2004. Their most recent titles included Lost Planet 3 in 2013, and Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, in 2014.