With this move, Blackbird Interactive gained complete control of its already successful IP, which the company hopes to expand in the future.

Blackbird Interactive has announced that it has acquired the full rights to its earlier game, Hardspace: Shipbreaker, in which players dismantle decommissioned spaceships and recycle their parts for profit. In its press release, the studio confirmed that it purchased Focus Entertainment’s share of the rights — Focus was the game’s publisher and co-owner. With this new agreement, Blackbird Interactive has become the sole owner of Hardspace.

Several Hardspace projects are currently in development. While no details have been revealed, the studio noted that they will feature physics-based gameplay and ambitious design. Hardspace: Shipbreaker, which launched in May 2022 after several years in Steam Early Access, was considered highly original. The concept itself evolved from an earlier project that eventually became Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.

The game put players in first-person perspective, dismantling derelict spaceships in zero gravity while relying on an oxygen tank to breathe. Beyond dismantling hulls and removing engines, players had to handle hazardous components such as radioactive reactors and pressurized compartments, which could explosively decompress if mishandled. Interwoven with a sharp narrative about labor exploitation, the title stood out as a brilliantly executed and innovative concept.

Blackbird’s latest release, Homeworld 3, marked the long-anticipated return to the acclaimed RTS franchise, but it ultimately failed to surpass its predecessors. While visually impressive and introducing interesting mechanics — such as using spaceship wrecks as cover — the game was hampered by a forgettable story, limited maps, and a plot that seemed to end almost as soon as it began.

Now that the studio has returned to its own universe, fans can hope for more original projects in the vein of Hardspace: Shipbreaker. To that end, Blackbird has launched the Lynx Pioneer Program, allowing fans to register and help shape the future of the franchise.

Source: PCGamer, Blackbird Interactive