Bristol-based video games studio Auroch Digital has been acquired by a major player in the sector in a deal worth up to £6m.
Sheffield-based Sumo Group said acquiring Auroch Digital, best known for its Mars Horizon space game, gave it access to the growing talent pool in Bristol while adding world-leading titles to its portfolio. 
Auroch Digital, which was founded by Tomas and Debbie Rawling in 2010, will retain its name, and continue to be led by founder and studio director Tomas.
Its 48 staff will now support Sumo’s recently launched publishing division Secret Mode.
Sumo was founded in 2003 and quickly established itself as a reliable and collaborative development partner for premier games publishers around the world.
In 2004 it developed the classic arcade-inspired Outrun 2 for Xbox and in 2017 it joined the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market.
Has acquired businesses across the UK and in the US and Poland, with the Auroch Digital acquisition taking the number of studios in the group to 15.
Tomas Rawling said: “We’re really excited to be joining the Sumo Group family. We share so many values and Sumo will be a good home for us. 
“We have a shared desire always to improve the quality and depth of the games we make, a commitment to being a positive and respectful workplace, a desire to invest in new talent, and a shared wish to make a lot of fun, engagement and gameplay for all.
“Auroch Digital joining Sumo Group really is the natural next step in our journey and we’re really excited to be taking it together.”
Sumo CEO Carl Cavers added: “I’m delighted to welcome Tomas and the Auroch Digital team to the group.
“Given our increasing focus on own-IP (intellectual property), we are particularly excited by Auroch Digital’s pipeline of original IP. So, while this is a relatively small acquisition, it is a highly significant one for us strategically.”
An undisclosed initial consideration has been paid by Sumo, with the balance deferred and depending on Auroch’s financial performance by 2024.
The deal has rewarded a number of Bristol Private Equity Club (BPEC) members who saw Auroch Digital’s potential three years ago and invested £200,000 into the business to help fund new original IP games. 
BPEC founder Jerry Barnes said: “We backed a very small company, enabling it to grow from 15 people to 48 and now that backing has come to fruition.
“It is a life-changing moment for the founders and also sees the club members that backed them receive at least four times return on their investment. Depending on future performance there could be up to 10 times return.
“Our investments are almost always with businesses at the forefront of technology and development. Game development has emerged from relatively humble beginnings to become a major worldwide growth industry.
“We saw the potential of Auroch Digital early on and our members backed it. It has proved a fantastic return for our investors.”
Tomas Rawlings added: “We are delighted at the backing we had from Bristol Private Equity Club members when we really needed funds to build the business.
“This deal is a life-changing moment for us and the next step on our business journey. To receive backing from well-established Bristol-based entrepreneurs gave us the boost we needed to get us to the success we are celebrating today.”
BPEC has invested £10m in the past five years into South West growth businesses.
