To our valued Shipbreakers,
We have an important announcement to share with you:
LYNX Salvage and Hardspace is now under new management: Blackbird Interactive!
That's right! Today, we're revealing that Blackbird Interactive reached an agreement with Focus Entertainment, our publishing partner, to reacquire full ownership of the Hardspace: Shipbreaker intellectual property.
This is an exciting moment for us as a studio and the Hardspace community. Since Early Access in 2020, you've helped Hardspace: Shipbreaker grow from a scrappy salvage sim into an award-winning game that has resonated with millions of players around the world.
And now we're embarking on a new journey to create new Hardspace experiences. It's a journey we hope you'll take with us.
So, what does this mean?
Blackbird Interactive fully owns and controls Hardspace: Shipbreaker. And, as our studio begins this exciting new chapter, Hardspace is going to become a core part of our business strategy going forward.
Multiple Hardspace projects are already in development! We're not ready to share any specifics yet, but rest assured we have paid close attention to your feedback and are laser-focused on ensuring this next generation of Hardspace expands on the original game in all the right ways.
We're planning a small update to Hardspace: Shipbreaker to reflect BBI's full ownership over the product. This will mostly include updated splash screens, logos, and privacy policies around the collection and use of personal data.
We're going to grow the Hardspace community as we work towards the release of new Hardspace games. It's still early days, so please bear with us. But if you haven't, be sure to join the Hardspace: Shipbreaker Discord as this will become the place to talk with our teams and learn about what's next (when the time is right).
Focus Entertainment will no longer be affiliated with Hardspace: Shipbreaker. But, let's not mince words, Hardspace: Shipbreaker wouldn't be what it is today without them. We're eternally grateful for their partnership and willingness to work with us so we could take ownership of the Hardspace IP.
Join the LYNX Pioneer Program
Today, we're also opening pre-registration for the LYNX Pioneer Program. This exciting community initiative will offer:
Exclusive early playtests of future Hardspace (and other BBI original IP) projects
Behind-the-scenes development updates and access
Opportunities to help shape BBI's next generation of games, participate in contests, and more!
Register for the LYNX Pioneer Program here:
https://blackbirdinteractive.com/lynxpioneerprogram/
A Quick FAQ
Will this affect the availability of or my access to Hardspace: Shipbreaker on Steam (or other platforms)?
Nope! Everything is staying the same as it was. We're working on a small update to the game to update splash screens, company logos, and other small things like data collection notices to reflect BBI's total ownership of the product. We'll be sure to communicate any further changes if necessary!
What can you tell us about these new Hardspace games?
It's too soon to say anything right now. They say that, in space, no one can hear you scream. But when we're ready to make announcements, we're going to put that theory to the test because we'll be screaming our heads off about it.
How can I get involved?
Sign up for the LYNX Pioneer Program, join the Hardspace Discord, and follow our page on Steam! It's still early days, but we're so excited to roll out more opportunities for our players to get more involved as we embark on this exciting new chapter.
From all of us at BBI: THANK YOU! All those hours spent cutting, tethering, melting, and (occasionally) exploding your way through our game are what has made today possible. You’ve kept the torch—and the cutter—lit.
We're looking forward all the ships we'll salvage together in the coming years,
[BBI]Steven,
Comms Director