Overview
SPARK NEXA (Chinese: 弹指宇宙 Tánzhǐ Yǔzhòu, literally 'Snap-of-the-Fingers Universe') is the in-house game development label of Kuaishou Technology (快手科技) and the developer and publisher of Lord of Mysteries. The studio was founded in September 2021 by industry veteran Xu Jie (徐杰) and is headquartered in Hangzhou, with satellite studios in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
Parent company
Kuaishou Technology is one of the two largest short-video platforms in Mainland China alongside Douyin (TikTok's domestic sister). Kuaishou's gaming division spun out SPARK NEXA in 2021 to consolidate its development effort under a single AAA-aspirant brand and build long-tail PC and mobile titles instead of casual mini-games.
Leadership
Founder and CEO: Xu Jie (徐杰). Xu joined NetEase in 2007 and produced multiple MMO and TCG projects there before founding SPARK NEXA. He brings 16+ years of MMO production experience to Lord of Mysteries.
Art Director (codename MZM): 10+ years of experience at Changyou and NetEase prior to joining SPARK NEXA. Drives the steam-Victorian visual identity and character art language for the game.
Technical Director (codename Kai): Unreal Engine, Unity, and Cocos2d background. Previously at Kingsoft and NetEase. Owns the Unreal Engine 5 pipeline, Lumen, and Nanite integration.
Studio Head, CSJ Studio (codename Bo): PhD in biochemistry, 10+ years of MMO and card-game system design at NetEase. Leads the team responsible for the Pathway and Sequence systems and the Acting Method progression loop.
Publishing Director (codename Min): 10+ years of cross-platform publishing background spanning Procter & Gamble and NetEase. Owns the global launch plan.
Studios
Hangzhou (HQ): main production for Lord of Mysteries.
Beijing: art and animation production.
Shanghai: engine and tools.
Guangzhou: live-ops and player services.
Game portfolio
Lord of Mysteries (诡秘之主): the studio's flagship, an open-world MMORPG built on Unreal Engine 5 and adapted from the Cuttlefish That Loves Diving novel under license from China Literature Group / Qidian. In closed beta as of early 2026.
Endless Dream Return (无尽梦回): an action roguelite with procedurally generated dream-themed levels and combo-driven combat. SPARK NEXA's secondary live project.
Studio philosophy
Public messaging from SPARK NEXA emphasises 'pure gaming fun' and 'infinite creative freedom' as design pillars, in deliberate contrast to the heavily monetised mobile-first short-cycle production model that has dominated Mainland China releases since the mid-2010s. The studio publicly distances itself from heavy-handed gacha mechanics and pitches Lord of Mysteries as a long-tail, content-first MMORPG rather than a cash-funnel.
Author license
The game is officially licensed by author Cuttlefish That Loves Diving (爱潜水的乌贼) through China Literature Group, the Qidian-affiliated rights holder for the novel franchise. The author has been credited and consulted on game adaptation choices, particularly around Klein Moretti's lore footprint, the Gray Fog, and the structure of the Tarot Club. See Source Material for adaptation context.