The Chinese Room, a Brighton-based developer, has officially announced its independence from Sumo Digital in a statement released in the UK. Sumo Digital, formerly the parent company of The Chinese Room and itself a subsidiary of Tencent, had shifted its strategy away from in-house new IP development toward partnerships with existing IP holders. This strategic pivot put it at odds with several senior members of The Chinese Room’s leadership, and earlier this year Sumo Digital put the studio up for sale.

Ed Daly, the head of The Chinese Room, has repurchased every share—restoring complete ownership to the studio and reinstating its autonomy. Daly noted that, although teaming up with other developers was on the table, safeguarding creative freedom was the priority. He acknowledged that joining Sumo Digital brought substantial advantages but said its emphasis on external IPs ultimately ran counter to the studio’s core creative values.

The buy-out was executed with advisory support from venture capital firm Hiro Capital. Daly has declined to disclose the exact purchase price but confirmed that he raised the necessary funds from the company’s internal revenues and anticipated future earnings—without any external investment.

Since its founding, The Chinese Room is best known for its work on the Amnesia franchise—most notably Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (2013)—and on Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (2015). The studio was acquired by Sumo Digital in the summer of 2018.

Most recently, The Chinese Room developed the psychological horror title Still Wakes the Deep, which at the 21st British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards 2025) won New Intellectual Property, Performer in a Leading Role (Alec Newman), and Performer in a Supporting Role (Karen Dunbar). The studio is currently developing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, scheduled for release in October 2025.