Hardspace: Shipbreaker developer Blackbird Interactive have nabbed a refreshing win in what feels like an increasingly hostile gaming environment – the team now owns the entirety of its sci-fi scrapyard, having just "reached an agreement" with publisher Focus Entertainment to "reacquire full ownership" of the series.
"That's right! [...] Blackbird Interactive fully owns and controls Hardspace: Shipbreaker," the developer announces in a new post on Steam. "And, as our studio begins this exciting new chapter, Hardspace is going to become a core part of our business strategy going forward."
Outside of Hardspace: Shipbreaker, which Blackbird took out of early access in 2022, the developer also helped make Minecraft Legends in 2023, and later the real-time strategy game Homeworld 3 in 2024 (which we thought in our Homeworld 3 review "can muster that same mixture of awe and anxiety" as the first game from 1999, "but it's a little less consistent in its execution"). I'm not surprised, then, that Blackbird wants to start paying extra attention to its Hardspace IP, an enduring hit.
"Mutliple" Hardspace projects are apparently coming, and Blackbird will issue a "small update" to 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."
Overall, Blackbird's new ownership over Hardspace seems like an exciting change for the developer, and I'm intrigued to see where it leads. Though, "It's too soon to say anything right now" about future plans for Hardspace, says Blackbird.
"They say that, in space, no one can hear you scream," the developer continues. "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."
Dismantle satellites and pay off your debts in Hardspace: Shipbreaker, a superb and offbeat space sim.
