Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, Lost Planet 3 developer shuttered

Spark Unlimited has gone down with all hands.

The Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and Lost Planet 3 developer has been shuttered and all staff laid off.

Chief technical officer John Butrovich confirmed the news in a statement issued to IGN.

"Spark Unlimited is closing as a video game developer. The ongoing opportunities for smaller mobile development doesn't service the needs nor desires of Spark as an entity," he said.

"As such, Spark as we know will cease operations with various splinter efforts focusing on some new dynamic projects inside and outside of game development."

The company's assets are now being auctioned off.

Spark Unlimited was founded in 2002. It debuted with ports of Call of Duty: Finest Hour, but its first original title was Turning Point: Fall of Liberty. It went on to create Legendary, but then went back to other studio's properties, working with Capcom on Lost Planet 3 and Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z.

Although the team's efforts didn't set Metacritic or sales charts afire, they've certainly gathered their share of fans and it's a shame to see the studio go. Best wishes to all affected by the closure.