Sumo Digital

Sumo Digital Ltd. is a British video game developer based in Sheffield and the principal subsidiary of Sumo Group. The company was founded in 2003 by four former members of the management team of Infogrames Studios and, as of 2023, employs more than 1100 people in 16 studios.[1]

Sumo Digital Ltd.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
PredecessorInfogrames Studios
Founded2003 (2003)
Founders
  • Carl Cavers
  • Paul Porter
  • Darren Mills
  • James North-Hearn
Headquarters
Sheffield
,
England
Key people
Number of employees
~1,100 (2023)
Parent
Divisions
  • Sumo Sheffield
  • Sumo Nottingham
  • Sumo Newcastle
  • Sumo Leamington
  • Sumo Warrington
  • Sumo Pune
  • Sumo Bangalore
Subsidiaries
Websitewww.sumo-digital.com

Parent company Sumo Group was formed in December 2017 and went public.[2][3] The developer's model has been described as work for hire.[4]

History

Sumo Digital was founded in 2003 by Carl Cavers, Paul Porter, Darren Mills and James North-Hearn, four members of the former management team of Infogrames Studios, after that company had been closed down.[5][6] In 2007, Sumo Digital opened a subsidiary studio in India, called Sumo India.[7] In August 2007, Foundation 9 Entertainment announced that it was acquiring Sumo Digital, wherein North-Hearn became the manager of Foundation 9's European operations.[6] North-Hearn subsequently became chief executive officer for Foundation 9 in March 2008.[8] In November 2014, Sumo Digital's officers completed a management buyout from Foundation 9; in this transaction, Sumo Digital's management was backed by NorthEdge Capital and Foundation 9 was advised by GP Bullhound.[9][10]

In January 2016, Sumo Digital opened a third development studio, Sumo Nottingham, in Nottingham, England.[11] In January 2018, Sumo Digital acquired CPP Newcastle, the Gateshead-based studio of CCP Games.[12] In August, the company acquired developer The Chinese Room.[13] In February 2019, Sumo Digital acquired work-for-hire video game studio Red Kite Games.[14] A few days later, the studio opened another new studio in Leamington Spa, England, to focus on mobile game development.[15] In October 2019, Sumo North West was opened in Warrington, England; led by Evolution Studios co-founder Scott Kirkland.[16] Lab42 and its 29 employees based in Leamington Spa were added to Sumo Digital's studios when Sumo Group acquired it May 2020.[17] Sumo Digital announced a partnership with the blockchain-company Dapper Labs in October 2020.[18] In February 2021, Sumo Digital acquired Polish video game studio PixelAnt Games.[19]

Games

Games developed
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s) Ref(s).
2005 Virtua Tennis: World Tour PlayStation Portable Sega [20]
2006 OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox [21]
Go! Sudoku PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable Sony Online Entertainment [22]
Race Driver 2006 PlayStation Portable Codemasters [23]
2007 Super Rub 'a' Dub PlayStation 3 Sony Online Entertainment [24]
2008 Sega Superstars Tennis Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 Sega [25]
New International Track & Field Nintendo DS Konami [26]
GTI Club+: Rally Côte d'Azur PlayStation 3 [27]
2009 OutRun Online Arcade PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Sega [28]
Virtua Tennis 2009 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 [29]
Disney's A Christmas Carol Nintendo DS Disney Interactive Studios [30]
F1 2009 PlayStation Portable, Wii Codemasters [31]
2010 Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Android, Arcade, BlackBerry, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 Sega [32]
Doctor Who: The Adventure Games macOS, Microsoft Windows BBC Wales Interactive [33]
2012 Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360 Sega [32]
2013 Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS Activision [34]
2014 LittleBigPlanet 3 PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 Sony Computer Entertainment [35]
Scorched: Combat Racing Android, iOS Rogue Play
2017 Snake Pass Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Sumo Digital [36]
2019 Crackdown 3 Microsoft Windows, Xbox One Xbox Game Studios [37]
Team Sonic Racing Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Sega [15]
2020 Spyder iOS, tvOS Sumo Digital [38]
Sackboy: A Big Adventure PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 Sony Interactive Entertainment [39]
2021 Hood: Outlaws & Legends Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Focus Home Interactive [40]
2023 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Gun Interactive [41]
Stampede: Racing Royale Microsoft Windows Secret Mode

Games ported
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s) Ref(s).
2004 OutRun 2 Xbox Sega [42]
OutRun 2 SP PlayStation 2 [43]
2005 TOCA Race Driver 2 PlayStation Portable Codemasters [44]
2006 TOCA Race Driver 3 Challenge PlayStation Portable Codemasters [45]
2007 Virtua Tennis 3 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360 Sega [25]
2009 Colin McRae: Dirt 2 PlayStation Portable, Wii Codemasters [46]
2011 Sega Rally Online Arcade PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Sega [47]
2014 Forza Horizon 2 Xbox 360 Microsoft Studios [48]
2015 Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious Xbox 360 Microsoft Studios [49]
2018 Payday 2 Nintendo Switch Starbreeze Studios [50]

Games co-developed
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s) Ref(s).
2004 England International Football Xbox Codemasters [51]
2006 Broken Sword: The Angel of Death Microsoft Windows THQ [52]
2007 Driver 76 PlayStation Portable Ubisoft [53]
2010 Dead Space Ignition PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Electronic Arts [54]
2011 F1 2011 Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita Codemasters [55]
2012 Nike+ Kinect Training Xbox 360 Microsoft [56]
2013 Xbox Fitness Xbox One Microsoft Studios [13]
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Avalanche Software
2016 Hitman Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, MacOS, Stadia IO Interactive [57]
2018 Hitman 2 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia [58]
2020 Hotshot Racing Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Curve Digital [59]
2021 Forza Horizon 4 Microsoft Windows Xbox Game Studios [60]
Forza Horizon 5 Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S [61]
Call of Duty: Vanguard Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Activision [62]
2023 Hogwarts Legacy Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch WB Games [63]
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, [64]

Cancelled
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s) Ref(s).
2020 Project Nova Microsoft Windows CCP Games [65][66]

References
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