Sumo Digital gains TIGA STAR Award for excellence

The award winning developer Sumo Digital has received the prestigious TIGA STAR Award. The TIGA STAR award scheme recognises the very best employers, both small and large, in the UK video games industry.

The TIGA STAR system was developed to benchmark the way companies, both large and small, are run in order to encourage best practice, with a particular focus on the way staff contribute to success. The TIGA STAR system examines a games business in four areas: Strategy, Teams, Advancement and Recognition.

Sumo Digital excelled in all four of the themes TIGA STAR examines for best practice:

• Strategy: how the organization develops and adheres to a clear vision, strategy and demonstrates effective leadership.
• Teams: how the organisation recruits and retains great teams; promotes training, diversity and equal opportunities; and facilitates flexible working, etc.
• Advancement: how the organisation continually makes advances in its business operations.
• Recognition: how the organisation recognises and rewards individuals, teams and organizational success.

A rigorous evaluation of Sumo Digital revealed that the company is an excellent place to work and has a strong vision for future success. The TIGA assessment team noted numerous examples of good practice at Sumo Digital, including:

• a clear strategy and vision to grow as a sustainable business;
• best practice in respect of recruitment, selection and retention; effective team working, work-life balance and a strong commitment to learning and development;
• ideas and objectives are generated both by team members (e.g. through game jams) and by senior leaders to drive and to measure success;
• financial rewards for employees via company wide and individual performance schemes.

Sumo Digital continues to provide award winning end-to-end game development solutions to the video games industry, while striving to be an employer of choice to aspiring talent. So far in 2021 the company has completed the acquisition of Polish game development studio PixelAnt Games, making it the 10th studio in the Sumo family.

In April, it won two BAFTA Video Game Awards for PlayStation 5 launch title Sackboy: A Big Adventure, developed for Sony Interactive Entertainment. Sackboy won Best British Game and Best Family Game. Earlier in May, Sumo Group announced a partnership with mental health charity Safe In Our World to further the company’s commitment to better supporting the wellbeing of its people.

Darren Mills, Sumo Group’s Director of Excellence and Integration said:

“Throughout Sumo Digital’s 18 year history we have always aimed to be the best we can be, not only in the games we make but also in the business we run and the experience we offer our people. Meeting those challenges on a daily basis is the combined responsibility of everyone at Sumo. Our commitment to adapt and change so that we can constantly improve as we grow across the UK and the rest of the world is not only highlighted by this TIGA STAR award, but is also testament to the continued dedication of all our people”.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

“The TIGA STAR System is designed to identify excellent businesses and to promote best practice in the video games industry. I am delighted therefore that Sumo Digital has achieved a TIGA STAR award. Sumo Digital has a clear strategy, a strong focus on continuous improvement and operates good practice in respect of rewarding team members. I am particularly impressed by Sumo Digital’s provision of a minimum of 5 paid, free choice, training days per year for all team members. Congratulations to everyone at Sumo Digital on their success.”

Ben Hayes, TIGA STAR lead assessor, said:

“Sumo show that success in the games industry requires more than just creative and technical expertise. Finding and retaining the right people and giving training that both staff and the business need is critical to Sumo’s success.”

Gary Dunn, Managing Director Sumo Digital said:

“It’s fantastic to see Sumo being recognised by TIGA for its excellence and best practice. I know how hard our people and our partners work together across the entire games development eco-system to stand out and be industry leaders. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Sumo for making this possible.

“The world’s most influential publishers, developers, platform manufacturers and entertainment brands are increasingly turning to Sumo to co-create their games development ambitions, and this year’s TIGA star is another symbolic reminder of how we remain a partner of choice for entertainment brands around the world.”