Grasshopper Manufacture to Leave NetEase, Go Indie on Oct 1: what are the key facts?

Grasshopper Manufacture has announced it will split from NetEase Games as of October 1, 2026.

Grasshopper Manufacture to Leave NetEase, Go Indie on Oct 1: what are the key facts?

After the split, Grasshopper Manufacture will return to being an independent developer.

Grasshopper Manufacture to Leave NetEase, Go Indie on Oct 1: what are the key facts?

NetEase Games announced its acquisition of Grasshopper Manufacture in 2021.

Grasshopper Manufacture to Leave NetEase, Go Indie on Oct 1: what are the key facts?

NetEase had provided Grasshopper with development funding and support from thousands of developers.

Grasshopper Manufacture to Leave NetEase, Go Indie on Oct 1: what are the key facts?

Founder Goichi Suda said he had fully communicated with NetEase before the split and expressed his thanks.

Physix Frontier · News Briefing Card (enbrief · Oct 1, 2026)

Grasshopper Manufacture to Leave NetEase, Go Indie on Oct 1

KEY FACTS

Grasshopper Manufacture has announced it will split from NetEase Games as of October 1, 2026.
After the split, Grasshopper Manufacture will return to being an independent developer.
NetEase Games announced its acquisition of Grasshopper Manufacture in 2021.
NetEase had provided Grasshopper with development funding and support from thousands of developers.
Founder Goichi Suda said he had fully communicated with NetEase before the split and expressed his thanks.

PHYSIX OBSERVATION

When NetEase acquired Grasshopper back then, what it was buying was Suda51's auteur label, but niche works of this style can hardly live up to a major publisher's return expectations. Now the studio believes it already has the capability to self-publish and has chosen to go solo, showing that mid-sized creative teams would rather hold publishing rights and IP control. This is good news for players, and a reminder for big publishers hoping to fill out their content lineups through acquisitions.

Source: enbrief original report ↗