Sumo was founded in 2003 and quickly established itself as a reliable and collaborative development partner for premier games publishers around the world.
As our experience grew, so did our versatility. We quickly became a multi-project, multi-genre solution provider, developing award-winning titles for every gaming platform.
Sumo Digital was originally set up as a ‘work for hire’ games developer, working alongside developers and publishers for certain sections of a game’s production. Successful delivery of co-development projects enhanced the company’s experience of franchise IP, enabling us to eventually take responsibility for full turnkey projects.

2003
- Carl Cavers, James North-Hearn, Paul Porter, and Darren Mills founded Sumo Digital
2004
- Sumo Digital develops the classic arcade-inspired ‘Outrun 2’ for Xbox

2007
- A second studio is opened in Pune, India – Sumo Videogames Pvt
- Sumo Digital becomes part of Foundation9 Entertainment, an American media company

2012
- Sumo Digital develops ‘Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed’ for SEGA
2014
- Carl, Paul, Darren and Chris Stockwell led a management buyout, backed by NorthEdge Capital
- Platform-adventure ‘LittleBigPlanet 3’, developed for Sony, is released in November
2015
- TIGA awards Sumo Digital the UK Heritage Award
- Sumo Digital is announced as working with IO Interactive
- 'LittleBigPlanet 3' is awarded DICE's Best Family Game

2016
- Sumo’s second UK studio, Sumo Nottingham, is founded
- Sumo Digital is awarded TIGA’s Best Large Independent Studio
- A secondary buyout was completed to bring on Perwyn LLP
- Sumo Digital work with partners IO Interactive on ‘Hitman’
2017
- Sumo Digital acquires Atomhawk, a premium digital art and design agency in Newcastle
- Sumo Digital’s first own-IP puzzle platformer game, ‘Snake Pass’, developed from an internal Game Jam competition, is released
- Sumo Group plc is formed in December, and joins the AIM LSE on 21 December 2017

2018
- The CCP Newcastle Studio responsible for Valkyrie VR becomes part of Sumo Digital as Sumo Newcastle
- Brighton-based studio and BAFTA award winning The Chinese Room is acquired and joins Sumo Digital in August
- Atomhawk opens the doors of a second studio in Vancouver, Canada
- Working with Microsoft Studio’s Playground Games, Sumo Digital completes work on ‘Forza Horizon 4’, released in September
- Sumo Digital works once again with partners IO Interactive on ‘Hitman 2’, released in November

2019
- In January, Red Kite Games is acquired and joins Sumo
- Mobile game and games as a service development studio Sumo Leamington opens in April
- Atomhawk create concept art for NetherRealm Studios ‘Mortal Kombat 11’, released in April
- ‘Team Sonic Racing’, developed for SEGA, is released
- Tech-focused Sumo Warrington opens in October
- Sumo Digital is awarded TIGA's Best Independent Studio
- Red Kite Games wins GI.Biz Best Places to Work award for Best Small Studio
- Atomhawk works with Microsoft on announcement for AR experience ‘Minecraft Earth’

2020
- Sumo Digital’s second own-IP game, ‘Spyder’, is released exclusively for Apple Arcade
- Sumo Academy, a talent development programme, is launched, designed to create new pathways into the industry
- Atomhawk work with publisher 2K to create concept art and motion graphics for ‘XCOM: Chimera Squad’, released in April
- Lab42 are acquired in May and welcomed to Sumo Group
- Sumo Digital wins MCV/DEVELOP’s External Development Partner of the Year award
- Pipeworks Studios based in Oregon, US, becomes part of the Sumo Group family in October
- Sumo Sheffield release 'Sackboy: A Big Adventure' as a launch title for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
