UK co-development studio Splash Damage has acquired Gamepires from Jagex for an undisclosed fee.
Gamepires is the Croatian studio behind open world survival title, Scum, which had sold 3 million copies worldwide as of December 2022.
Splash Damage is known for co-developing notable titles such as Gears Tactics and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
The deal was backed by Emona Capital and has enabled Splash Damage and Gamepires to combine into a new entity called Splash Damage Group, led by CEO Ben Hopkinson.
A company representative told Game Developer that Splash Damage Group will operate as an independent entity with support from Emona.
“Splash Damage Group makes our own strategic decisions that enables us to be as competitive as possible within the ever-evolving games industry,” they explained. “Emona Capital are committed to accelerating Splash Damage’s growth and once again establishing the studio as a leading independent developer.”
Splash Damage Group intends to focus on expanding its premium development and co-development partnerships while scaling the Scum franchise and investing in new IP.
Hopkinson, who previously served as CFO at Splash Damage, said the combination represents a “defining moment” for the company shortly after it parted ways with former parent company Tencent (thanks, GI.biz).
“Our independence and experience, together with the acquisition of Gamepires, strengthens our ability to scale live-service titles and build new premium multiplayer experiences,” said Hopkinson. “Alongside the strategic support and industry network of Emona Capital, this new structure provides [for a] stable and positive future for Splash Damage.”