Jagex acquires Pipeworks Studios in first ever studio investment

Jagex has announced they will acquire the US-based Pipeworks Studios and all 200 of its staff in Eugene, Oregon from the Sumo Group. Sumo previously acquired the group for $100 million back in 2020, and neither company has disclosed the financial details of the new sale.

This is the first time that Jagex has acquired a studio, in a move it describes as a reflection of its “commitment to expand its team of world-class talent, as well as grow its footprint in North America”.

Since it was founded in 1999, Pipeworks and its employees have worked on at least 125 games, having teamed up with companies like Electronic Arts, Wizards of the Coast and Activision and more to work on some of the biggest intellectual properties in the gaming world including the likes of Prince of Persia, Devil May Cry and Terraria. 

“We are delighted to welcome Pipeworks into the Jagex Family. Pipeworks presents an incredible opportunity to bring onboard world-class game development talent. The studio brings elite-level game development expertise, specifically in AAA games-as-a-service, with an exemplary track record of collaborations with the world’s best game creators. Lindsay and his team have been running a successful and profitable group for many years, and we look forward to working together to publish Pipeworks’ developed IP and accelerate its growth.” said Phil Mansell, CEO of Jagex. 

“This is an opportunity for us to level up once again because we each bring our own distinct experiences to the partnership,” said Lindsay Gupton, CEO of Pipeworks Studios. “Jagex’s approach of providing a leading platform for developers to create lasting and content-rich community-driven games fully aligns with Pipeworks’ work-for-hire model and focus on building innovative games and technology.”