Since being founded in 2003, Sumo Digital has metaphorically raised the gaming bar in Sheffield. Over the past 18 years, the video game developer has gone from strength to strength, and its profile within the entertainment world has reached new heights after going public in December 2017. Following this, various new subsidiaries have emerged, including Sumo Group, which also operates out of Sheffield.
To date, Sumo Digital has worked on a host of well-known games, such as Crackdown 3 and Forza Horizon 4, and its ever-growing presence within the gaming world has resulted in record-high performance results. As the company strives to cement its place within the industry and sustain fruitful revenue figures, expansion is on the cards, with reported ventures into VR productions in the offing. So, let’s have a look at what the future holds for Sumo Digital.
Achieving Record Results and Potential Expansion
It’s a testament to Sumo Digital’s modern-day productions that they’re now an award-winning video game development company. At the 2021 British Academy Games Awards, the Sheffield-based company received four nominations, each of which were for Sackboy: A Big Adventure. In fact, not only was the platformer nominated for the honours, but it also won the Best Multiplayer and Best Music awards. Despite staying true to the Little Big Planet roots, this title incorporated more advanced mechanics, such as diverse camera perspectives and 3D movement.
As a result of Sackboy: A Big Adventure’s success, Sumo Digital enjoyed its best year from a revenue standpoint. According to Prolific North, the Sheffield-based developer recorded a 40 percent revenue growth in 2020, with its overall figures sitting at £68.9 million. It speaks volumes about the company’s rise to prominence that it’s now one of the UK’s biggest independent developers, and it looks well-placed to enjoy long-term success.
Sumo Digital’s decision to operate out of Sheffield appears something of a masterstroke. Over the last few years, the city has embraced gaming more than any other UK-based location. Now, Sheffield is the home to the National Videogame Museum, which features old-retro-inspired exhibitions. The foundations are in place for Sumo Digital to enjoy long-term success, and that will be aided by the developer’s future plans to explore virtual reality. In 2016, VRFocus reported that the 18-year-old company opened a new studio in Nottingham. This expansion opened the door to new opportunities, giving Sumo Digital the freedom to explore up-and-coming markets, like VR and smartphone gaming.
Does Real-Time Entertainment Hold the Key for Sumo?
By targeting heightened realism with VR, Sumo Digital is somewhat building on the foundations laid throughout Sheffield. In other entertainment-based markets, this technology is at the forefront of modern-day projects. In golf, for example, the University of Sheffield is using a Zen Green Stage system to revolutionise professional golf practice. This software simulates real-world conditions, and it combines with other forward-thinking advancements, such as VR, as per PES Media. Golf isn’t the only non-gaming market that’s embraced real-time, VR-enhanced strategies, with the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival also turning to virtual reality to heighten movie immersion. That said, it isn’t only VR that’s at the heart of expanding Sheffield’s entertainment industry.
Nowadays, companies are striving to deliver real-time offerings to potential consumers. It speaks volumes about the modern-day appeal of live opportunities that CluedUpp has taken inspiration from board games. The award-winning company uses augmented reality to bring well-known games like Cluedo to life. Through the CluedUpp app, participants search across the city to find clues and solve mysteries. According to Examiner Live, more than 500,000 people played their Sneaky Finders and Witchcraft and Wizardry variants. This isn’t the only entertainment market turning to real-time offerings within the 21st century, with online casinos like Betway developing a vast library of live games. Much like CluedUpp, the operator strives to enhance the immersion of traditional pastimes, with its offerings covering various table games, including blackjack and roulette. Not only that, but Betway’s live games are also available on smartphones, meaning that players can delve into the real-time market while on the move. The App industry is huge these days, and as of 2020 84% of UK adults owned a smartphone, so it’s easy to see why developers are looking at this market.
Where Does Sumo Digital Go from Here?
While there are no guarantees that Sumo Digital will follow in the above companies’ footsteps, it’s clear that consumers in Sheffield and beyond are striving for realism within the entertainment sector. The developer’s existing model of predominantly creating console games has served them well thus far. However, if player habits and industry trends are shifting, the 18-year-old company may be forced to alter its approach.
Having expanded into Nottingham, few can argue that Sumo Digital doesn’t have the facilities to break into VR and smartphone gaming. Should the company diversify its approach to entertainment, it could enjoy sustained record-breaking revenue figures over the coming years. Not only that, but the developer could also win more awards and enhance its global reputation within the sector.
