Branching Out
The Chinese Room regains independence from Sumo Digital via management buyout
The move follows Sumo’s pivot away from original IP to focus on co-development services
Company Profile
Sumo Digital
Website
www.sumo-digital.com
About
Part of the Foundation 9 Entertainment group, Sumo Digital Ltd is an independent game development studio based in Sheffield, UK. Sumo is licensed to develop on all the leading gaming platforms: PSP, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox, Wii and DS.
Related People
Tomas Rawlings
Vice President
Chris Southall
Head of Studio Leamington Spa
Jenny Muhlwa
Learning & Development Partner Consultant
Owen O’Brien
Studio Head, Newcastle
Peter Hopkins
Design Director
Dean Trotman
Commercial Director
Lucy Smith
Assistant Games Designer
Ian Richardson
Business Development Director
Carl Cavers
CEO
+6 more
Accolades
Articles featuring Sumo Digital
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Uk Best Of 2025
The Top 50 UK Game Makers of 2025
The UK movers and shakers of the last 12 months revealed!
Leadership Change
Sumo Group restructures leadership to drive next phase of growth
Gary Dunn and Andy Stewart have been named co-CEOs
New Mode
Secret Mode breaks away from Sumo with buyout
Current leadership to remain at the helm
Layoffs Imminent
Sumo Group announces strategic shift, layoffs expected to follow
“Unavoidably this transition will have an impact on our studios and people,'' said CEO Carl Cavers
Hot Five
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Job Losses
Sumo Group to lay off up to 15% of staff
As many as 250 staff across its UK, Canada, Poland, Czech Republic and India offices could be impacted
Podcast | Episode 13
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Skills Gap
Evolving the leadership at Sumo to bridge the industry skills gap
Jenny Muhlwa shares her insight into the gaming industry's skills gap and how Sumo’s Evolve leadership programme aims to deliver the goods
Acquisition
Sumo Group acquires UK developer Midoki to boost live service skills
The Tencent subsidiary has picked up the Knighthood developer for an undisclosed sum
Playing For The Planet
2.5 million trees were planted as part of 2022’s Green Game Jam
2022 was a breakthrough year for sustainability efforts in gaming
Industry Report
71% of H1 2022's total deal value came from just 5 deals
A new report breaks down the biggest deals, acquisitions, and mergers of the first half of 2022
Sumo's Sold
Tencent closes acquisition of Sumo Group
Will operate under Tencent subsidiary, Tencent Bidco
Done Deal
Behind the scenes of Sumo's $8.3 million acquisition of Auroch Digital
Sumo commercial director Dean Trotman and Auroch studio director Tomas Rawlings talk
Strategically Significant
Sumo Group acquires Auroch Digital for $8.3 million
A highly significant strategic acquisition
Industry Veteran
Sumo Digital director Ian Richardson passes away aged 53
"Sumo has lost one of its brightest stars…"
Beyond A Billion
Tencent buying UK studio Sumo Group for $1.3 billion
Chinese giant continues global rollup
Money Maker
Sumo sees 2020 sales up 41% to $95 million
A bigger adventure
Done Deal
"Being part of a larger company definitely brings security"
How The Chinese Room was acquired by Sumo Digital
New Venture
Sumo Group launches Secret Mode indie publishing arm
Head up by Sega vets James Schall and Derek Seklecki
Building The Anthill
Sumo Group snaps up indie outfit PixelAnt Games for £250k
The studio is Sumo's first mainland Europe acquisition
Welcome Aboard
Sumo Leamington appoints Codemasters vet as technical director
“Although a lot has changed during my time in the industry, my commitment to video games remains the same"
Block Builders
Sumo Leamington working on mobile blockchain projects with Dapper Labs
All using the new Flow blockchain
Welcome To The Family
Sumo Group acquires co-development specialist Pipeworks in a $100 million deal
"We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Pipeworks, the largest acquisition Sumo Group has made since IPO"
Ex-cell-sior
Former Sega and Sumo Digital director James Back joins Supercell
Back previously acted as product director for over a year
Diversity Matters
POC in Mobile: Why Sumo Digital's Harinder Sangha believes "change needs to happen at every level of the industry"
"There is no role or level at Sumo where we would not benefit from having more women"
New Acquisition
Sumo Digital purchases Snooker 19 studio Lab42
Terms of the deal were not disclosed
Quest Unlocked
UK initiative SideQuest looks to encourage games careers for 3.3 million teenagers under lockdown
Target of 100,000 to get into games
Making Of
Making Of: Sumo Digital lead game designer Nic Cusworth discusses how Spyder went from game jam winner to Apple Arcade release
"Going in, I don't think we realised what a huge challenge it was going to be to bring Spyder to life"
Job News
Sumo Digital appoints new director of excellence and integration
Plus a new studio director at Sumo Sheffield
International Women's Week
Women in Gaming: Sumo Digital's Lucy Smith discusses the allure of games design
"Anyone who has a strong work ethic and attitude can achieve anything"
Job News
Sumo Digital hires Dr Jake Habgood and Jenny Muhlwa
They will be focused on training and education
Entering The Ring
Sumo Digital hires Kirstin Whittle as partnerships director
Previously head of business development at Keywords
Gotta Collect 'em All
Tencent spends $30 million acquiring 10% of UK studio Sumo Digital
Invests in Sheffield co-developer
Acquisition And Scale
The Chinese Room's Dan Pinchbeck on why the timing was right to move to mobile
I think it’s worth the risk
Relocation Relocation
Red Kite Games relocates to Leeds
“We’re really excited to take Red Kite to the next level in a city full of talent”
Develop: Brighton
Weather Factory, Sumo Digital and Jagex pick up the accolades at Develop: Star Awards
Overcooked 2 takes game of the year
Job News
Sumo Group plans to increase headcount by 15% over next 12 months
Sheffield-based firm will employ around 750 people by July 2020
New Studio
Sumo Leamington on how the studio looks to adapt for the mobile market
“There is no one thing that ensures success in this space – it’s quite a complex set of many things”
Job News
Sumo Digital hires former Sega Hardlight operations director Harinder Sangha to new mobile studio
“I’m thrilled to be joining Sumo and to be working with such a dynamic team”
Job News
Sumo Digital co-founder Porter becomes board COO of parent company
Gary Dunn replaces him as MD
Data
UK games industry gender pay gap widens
Median hourly wage for women drops 4.78 per cent, mean figure down four per cent
New Studio
Sumo Digital opens mobile studio in Leamington Spa
Sega Hardlight founder Chris Southall heads up new branch
Consolidation
UK's Sumo Digital acquires Red Kite Games
Follows purchases of CCP Newcastle and The Chinese Room in 2018
Gender Pay Gap
UK games companies reveal gender pay gap
New figures show men earning more than women
Snapped Up
CCP sells Newcastle studio to Sumo as it pivots away from VR
Eve Online developer to focus on PC and mobile
All-star Flotation
UK studio Sumo Digital heads for London IPO at $194 million valuation
Developer set to go public as soon as Wednesday
Key Hires
Quintet of senior appointments at Sumo Digital as company expands
Company expanding its premises in Sheffield and Nottingham
Going Public?
Report: UK developer Sumo Digital preparing for £150 million IPO
Studio said to have brought in Zeus Capital to advise on listing
Swooping
UK developer Sumo acquires design studio Atomhawk
Art company to remain independent following deal