‘A new chapter’: Limbo & Inside producer regains ownership of Somerville dev Jumpship
Thunderful has split with the studio it purchased in 2022
Jumpship, the developer behind the 2022 sci-fi survival story Somerville, has regained its independence after its co-founder reacquired the studio.
In a statement published this week, Swedish group Thunderful said it had transferred all shares in Jumpship to Dino Patti, as part of its cost savings program announced last November, which resulted in around 100 layoffs.
In addition, Patti has also acquired shares in Sad Owl Studios, the Scottish developer behind 2023 indie game Viewfinder, which won two BAFTA Game Awards.
Jumpship was founded in 2017 when Playdead co-founder Patti, who had previously produced Limbo and Inside, teamed up with movie animator Chris Olsen to work on Somerville. After it was acquired in 2022, Patti remained as a strategic advisor for Thunderful.
Posting on social media following the Jumpship news, Patti said the studio was now “empty of employees” but that he planned to rebuild it in a “completely new direction”.
“I sold my studio in 2022. Today, I got it back,” he wrote. “Today marks a new chapter for @jumpshipstudio. After Thunderful’s acquisition in 2022 and recent changes, I’ve now reacquired the studio. Unfortunately, the company is now empty of employees, so the road ahead will be entirely different.
“But with every challenge comes an opportunity – it’s always about moving forward with a bold and bright vision. The gaming industry needs fresh thinking, especially in how we treat our talent.”
Patti said he’s now “working on something different” with Jumpship, including a “completely new direction” for the company, “a bold reimagining of how talent can create and thrive”, and “a vision where ambition and synergy with great talent unlock new possibilities”.
He added: “One thing remains constant: our commitment to emotion-driven storytelling, gameplay and innovation. PS: Sometimes the best new beginnings come from unexpected but familiar places. Agree?”
VGC’s Somerville review called the game “a brief but beautiful sci-fi survival story”.
