UK indie studio The Chinese Room, celebrated for its BAFTA-winning titles such as Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture and Still Wakes the Deep, has entered a new chapter by signing a publishing agreement with Lyrical Games for an unannounced project. Founded by veterans from Private Division, Lyrical Games will offer comprehensive support, covering full financing, production assistance, and strategic go-to-market planning.
Importantly, this collaboration upholds The Chinese Room’s creative autonomy and ensures they maintain ownership of their intellectual property—a noteworthy arrangement in the current gaming industry landscape. This move comes after The Chinese Room regained its independence from the Tencent-owned Sumo Group in June 2025, following a management-led buyout after Sumo Group’s pivot away from first-party IP development.
Lyrical Games is known for its distinctive approach, aiming to fill the ‘lost middle’ of the gaming market by supporting double-A titles with budgets under $10 million and pricing them between $40 and $50. CEO Blake Rochkind stresses the significance of fostering developer-friendly partnerships, marking it as a core differentiator for the company. By ensuring their reputation remains untarnished, they aim to attract high-quality projects, distancing themselves from publishers whose poor reputations might bring in subpar collaborations.

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UK indie studio The Chinese Room, known for BAFTA-winning narrative games, has signed a publishing deal with Lyrical Games for an unannounced project. The partnership preserves The Chinese Room's creative independence and IP ownership—notable after the studio regained independence from Sumo Group via a management buyout in June 2025. Lyrical Games, founded by Private Division veterans, targets the 'lost middle' of the gaming market with double-A titles budgeted under $10 million and priced between $40–$50, positioning itself as a developer-friendly publisher.

The Chinese Room Partners with Lyrical Games for New Title