#Visions of Mana Co-Director Opens New Studio Following Writer NetEase Disaster – Destructoid
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Visions of mana developer Ouka Studio was simply certainly one of many groups hit by the latest NetEase layoffs. Fears of the studio’s imminent closure started spreading proper after Ouka launched Visions of Mana and have been quickly adopted by large layouts that spared solely a handful of staff.
That’s when Kenji Ozawa resigned. The co-director of the studio’s final title was certainly one of its few staff unaffected by the layouts, however the way forward for the studio was clear. Ouka can be closed just a few months later, in December 2024. Whereas sharing his grievances with Automaton, Ozawa lamented the state of the online game trade and accused the administration at NetEase of dumping the results of improper decision-making on builders. “Administration”, he says, “wants to guard creators”. This appears to be the impetus behind his new challenge, Studio Sasanqua.
What we learn about Studio Sasanqua
There isn’t a number of info on Studio Sasanqua. Kenji Ozawa appears to be the consultant director and, in keeping with Automaton, is likely to be the one offering funding. It comes with a weirdly artsy trailer (which you’ll be able to see above) and a fashionable, Japanese-only web site.
No sport has been introduced as of but nor do we all know of any builders who’re following Ozawa on this journey.
Which studios did NetEase shut?
Regardless of its phrases about “investing extra, not much less” within the sport, NetEase is notorious for closing one of many studios behind the extraordinarily profitable Marvel Rivals and firing its sport director. An analogous destiny fell over the newly based studios Worlds Untold and Jar of Sparks. 4 studio closures in a number of months just isn’t a superb signal, and issues is likely to be worse nonetheless.
In line with an investigation from Sport File, extra of NetEase’s overseas studios is likely to be in danger. The Chinese language developer and writer has invested closely in new studios all around the world in the previous few years and is allegedly attempting to drag again investments from most of them. If that is true, it means dozens of studios should shut down just a few years after being opened.
