A China Hero Project studio says its partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s China division collapsed after years of stalled development, financial pressure, and an attempted transfer of control over its game, Convallaria. The China Hero Project is a Sony-backed program created to identify and support Chinese developers, offering select studios access to resources, publishing support, and international visibility.
This is a working investigative draft to be updated if SIE or China Hero Project responds. All claims are attributed to Loongforce or supporting sources unless independently verified. Quotes reflect communications reviewed by Noisy Pixel.
Loongforce, the Chengdu-based studio behind the long-delayed co-op shooter Convallaria, says its multi-year partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s China division unraveled into stalled production, financial strain, and what the studio alleges were repeated harmful decisions by members of SIE China’s software team. Over several months, the studio shared internal emails, chat logs, and formal complaints with Noisy Pixel outlining concerns about obstructed development, conflicts of interest, and an attempted takeover of the project’s leadership.
“We didn’t go public because we wanted attention,” a developer at Loongforce told Noisy Pixel. “We did it because every internal path was exhausted, and nothing was changing.”
We went public because every internal path was exhausted.
Former developers involved in past China Hero Project titles told Noisy Pixel that while they could not confirm Loongforce’s internal experiences firsthand, the source is legitimate and the patterns described align with issues they had privately observed within the program.
Noisy Pixel contacted SIE and the China Hero Project for comment regarding the allegations detailed below. As of publication, neither has responded. This article will be updated if a statement is provided.
Background: A Flagship China Hero Project Partnership
Loongforce joined the second batch of the China Hero Project in 2018, an initiative created by SIE to support and highlight emerging Chinese developers. In 2021, Loongforce signed a global, multi-platform publishing agreement with SIE, placing Convallaria among a very small group of projects directly published by Sony.
Loongforce says its relationship with SIE changed after 2022, when a new production lead, Bao Bo, took over responsibility for Convallaria inside SIE China’s software division. According to the studio, this leadership change marked a shift from early cooperation to prolonged inaction and escalating disputes.
Loongforce says it later compiled a formal complaint accusing Bao of unethical conduct, misuse of authority, and actions the studio believes harmed both the project and the broader Chinese development ecosystem. The studio says it requested an internal review and corrective action.
The Allegations
1. Repeated Delays and Lack of Publishing Direction
Loongforce says it began raising concerns about publishing and operations in mid‑2023, as months passed without concrete plans for marketing, server deployment, or launch coordination.
After Convallaria passed beta approval on January 30, 2025, the team expected final-stage preparation to begin. Instead, they say the project entered a prolonged freeze. “We kept asking what the plan was,” a developer at Loongforce said. “Every time, we were told not to worry—and then nothing happened.”
According to the studio, there were no player tests, no marketing activity, no storefront pages created, and no formal evaluation feedback during what should have been the most critical phase of development.
2. Marketing Absence and Removal From Official Media
Loongforce says the lack of momentum extended into official PlayStation China channels. Producer Xu Min was scheduled and filmed for PlayStation China’s 10th anniversary documentary, which was intended to spotlight China Hero Project developers.
When the final video was released, Convallaria was absent. “Every other project was there,” a developer at Loongforce said. “Ours was simply gone.”
Every other project was there. Ours was simply gone.” The studio says it received no explanation before or after publication.
For a team already struggling with visibility, the omission carried weight. “That was the moment it stopped feeling accidental,” the developer added. “It felt like we were being erased.”
3. Alleged Payment Delays and Financial Pressure
According to Loongforce, delayed payments beginning in mid‑2025 pushed the studio to the brink of collapse. After the planned March launch window passed, monthly losses exceeded $230,000, and the team nearly dissolved in early April.
Despite the strain, development continued. Weekly builds were delivered, and a U.S. server test was completed at the end of April. “Stopping would have meant the game was dead,” a developer at Loongforce said. “So we kept working, even when it was hurting the team.”
After what the studio describes as an unreasonable new cooperation proposal and the unilateral termination of a payment agreement, Loongforce halted collaboration. The studio estimates total losses have now exceeded one million dollars.
4. Alleged Conflicts of Interest and Outsourcing Irregularities
Loongforce also alleges deeper structural issues inside SIE China’s production workflow, centered on Bao Bo.
A. Outsourcing directed exclusively to Virtuos — The studio claims that all outsourcing work assigned by SIE’s production team went to Virtuos without bidding or developer approval, with individuals tied to Virtuos appearing in legal or shareholder roles for subcontractors.
Virtuos is a global game development services company known for providing outsourcing support on large-scale projects, including porting, quality assurance, and co-development work for major publishers and studios worldwide.
B. Mandatory “IT restructuring” tied to Virtuos connections — Loongforce says it was required to pay hundreds of thousands of yuan for an IT security restructuring handled by a company whose shareholders included former Virtuos employees. The studio argues this work fell outside its contractual obligations.
C. Recruitment of an internally insular team — Loongforce claims staff hired by Bao Bo after joining SIE were former Virtuos subordinates, primarily with QA backgrounds rather than publishing experience.
The studio describes this structure as a closed loop of influence that, in its view, limited oversight and accountability.
5. Attempt to Seize Control of the Project
In June 2025, Loongforce says the dispute reached a breaking point. According to emails shared with Noisy Pixel, Bao Bo informed the studio that development leadership would be transferred under the banner of the “SIE Global Team,” and that refusal would prevent the game from launching.
“He told us the project’s future depended entirely on him,” a developer at Loongforce said. “At that point, it stopped feeling like mismanagement and started feeling like a threat.”
At that point, it stopped feeling like mismanagement and started feeling like a threat.
Loongforce disputes both the authority and feasibility of transferring development control to a publishing-side lead with no development background, framing the demand as the culmination of what the studio describes as years of stalled progress and mounting pressure.
Documented Timeline Based on Materials Provided
2018 – Convallaria selected for China Hero Project.
2021 – Loongforce signs global publishing agreement with SIE.
2022 – New leadership takes over parts of SIE China’s software/publishing oversight.
2023–2024 – Multiple unaddressed emails from Loongforce regarding publishing, operations, and server plans.
October 2024 – IT restructuring contract provided; Loongforce refuses to sign due to costs.
January 2025 – Game passes SIE beta approval.
February 2025 – CHINA HERO promotional video released without Convallaria.
March–April 2025 – Payment delays; Loongforce nearly dissolves.
April 30, 2025 – U.S. server test completed.
June 2025 – SIE project director requests transfer of development control.
Late 2025 – Loongforce compiles and submits formal complaint.
The Broader Context: China Hero Project’s Status
Multiple developers formerly associated with the China Hero Project have described inconsistent support structures inside the program, especially after leadership changes in recent years. Some reported shifting priorities, unclear communication lines, and long gaps without updates.
Noisy Pixel found no evidence that the issues raised by Loongforce apply universally across the program, but the allegations suggest structural weaknesses inside SIE China’s publishing operations during the relevant period.
If accurate, Loongforce’s experience would represent one of the most serious breakdowns between SIE and a China Hero partner to date.
Loongforce’s Position Today
The studio says it has lost more than one million dollars due to delays, ongoing operational uncertainty, and the absence of a coordinated publishing strategy. They added that they prefer the issues be resolved directly with SIE, but feel compelled to speak publicly after months without progress.
Loongforce’s account describes a partnership that unraveled not through a single failure, but through years of stalled communication, unclear oversight, delayed payments, and escalating pressure that ultimately called into question who controlled the future of Convallaria.
The studio says it pursued internal resolution for more than a year, continued development despite mounting losses, and only chose to speak publicly after those efforts produced no clear outcome. For Loongforce, the dispute is no longer just about a delayed release, but about accountability inside a program meant to support developers rather than exhaust them.
As of publication, SIE and the China Hero Project have not responded to repeated requests for comment. If a response is provided, this article will be updated accordingly.
What happens next will determine not only the fate of Convallaria, but how much confidence future developers place in the systems designed to champion their work.
