Jagex Acquires US-Based AAA Game Developer Pipeworks Studios
Video game development studios continue to change hands this year as Jagex announces its acquisition of Pipeworks Studios, an Oregon-based developer that has worked on various games for big-name publishers such as Activision, EA Sports, and Wizards of the Coast.
According to the press release, the acquisition is part of Jagex’ efforts to diversify and expand into North America and beyond. “Marking its first ever acquisition of an external studio, this transaction reflects Jagex’s commitment to expand its team of world-class talent, as well as grow its footprint in North America,” announced the British studio.
Pipeworks Studios was founded in 1999 by a pair of former developers from Dynamix, a now-defunct studio from the mid-1980s. Pipeworks had been bought out and acquired by several video game companies since 2005, with British video game holding company Sumo Group taking the reins before Jagex acquired the studio. Pipeworks now has over 200 employees and a portfolio of over 125 games.
“We are delighted to welcome Pipeworks into the Jagex Family,” said Jagex CEO Phil Mansell. “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 (CEO of Pipeworks) 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.”
“This is an opportunity for us to level up once again because we each bring our own distinct experiences to the partnership,” said Pipeworks Studios CEO Lindsay Gupton. “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.”
The press release notes that Pipeworks will continue to operate independently and will be allowed to continue co-developing games with their existing clients and publishing partners around the globe. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
