The developer of Mars Horizon, Auroch Digital, has been acquired by Sumo Group in a deal worth $8.32 million (£6 million).
Founded in 2010 by Tomas and Debbie Rawlings, Auroch Digital is a Bristol-based videogame developer and publisher that focuses on creating original IP.
Carl Cavers, CEO of Sumo Group, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Tomas and the Auroch Digital team to the Group. Given our increasing focus on Own-IP, 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.”
Mars Horizon is their most innovative, high-quality title yet. The strategy management game was released in November 2020 and is available on Xbox, PS4, Steam, and Switch.
“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,” commented Tomas Rawlings, Studio Director, and Founder Auroch Digital. “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.”
The acquisition is a game-changer for the Group and will strengthen their publishing capabilities, adding an additional 48 talented people to the business.
Furthermore, the added workforce will provide vital support to Secret Mode, a publishing division of Sumo Group launched in March this year. Secret Mode was founded to provide support for games that are developed both internally and from independent studios.
After the acquisition, there won’t be any changes to Auroch’s branding or key management, and the studio will continue to be led by its founder and director, Tomas Rawlings.
Earlier in July, Tencent, China’s largest and most valuable tech company, has announced its intent to acquire Sumo in a deal worth $1.27 billion (£919 million).
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