Still Wakes the Deep Dev The Chinese Room Announces Independence and 2 New Projects

Still Wakes the Deep studio The Chinese Room is now independent of its former parent company, Sumo Digital, and has announced two upcoming projects. The British developer has faced some tumultuous times lately, with layoffs and uncertainty plaguing Sumo and its subsidiaries over the past several months. Now things may be looking up for the Still Wakes the Deep developer.

In June 2025, The Chinese Room confirmed it had suffered layoffs as part of Sumo Digital's corporate restructuring efforts. Those cuts affected at least nine employees and called the release date of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, which had already been delayed multiple times, into question. Things remained on track for Bloodlines 2, but the move was still a worrying sign for the studio, which has now separated itself from its parent company to give itself more security and creative freedom.

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A Chinese Room spokesperson spoke with IGN to confirm that the studio had completed a management buyout with the help of venture capital firm Hiro Capital. The buyout means The Chinese Room can now operate as an independent, developer-owned company, which director Ed Daly says will help it "work on new, original intellectual property." The news comes not long after Sumo Digital announced it would stop making original IPs, which would mean subsidiaries like the Still Wakes the Deep developer would function only as support studios. Devs also say it seemed likely that Sumo would sell The Chinese Room off to another parent company, further encouraging the move toward independence.

The Chinese Room Breaks from Sumo Digital and Announces Two Upcoming Projects

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On top of announcing its independence, The Chinese Room also revealed it has two new projects in development. The studio did not announce what these games are or when fans can expect them, but it reaffirms the company's commitment to original IPs now that it has broken from Sumo Digital. However, original properties won't be the only thing to come out of the developer, as The Chinese Room took over work on Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 in 2023, with current plans to release it in October 2025. Fans may hear more about the studio's other projects once Bloodlines 2 is out.

Specific game releases aside, The Chinese Room's independence may be a breath of fresh air for gamers. Acquisitions and mismanagement by large parent companies have drawn scrutiny amid shifts like Microsoft's recent massive wave of layoffs, so seeing an indie developer gain control of its own operations feels like a victory in an increasingly uncertain environment for small game studios.