How Sackboy developer Sumo Digital is utilizing its Pune studio for creating AAA console video games

When Sackboy: A Big Adventure hit the PlayStation 5 final yr, critics hailed the 3D platformer for its stage design, music, and visuals. But not many individuals know that a whole lot of improvement work for the BAFTA-winning AAA console recreation was achieved by Sumo Pune, one of many studios the UK-based developer Sumo Digital operates in India.
“The contribution of Sumo Pune in the development of Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a big one. We designed specific levels and contributed to the art and the gameplay programming across all disciplines,” Stewart Neal, Studio Director at Sumo Pune tells indianexpress.com over a video name from Sheffield, England. He stated their work wasn’t restricted to artwork however unfold throughout different facets like atmosphere, props, animation, recreation design, stage design in addition to programming. Neal says over 60 crew members of Sumo Pune labored on the sport.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure, a spin-off recreation of the LittleBigPlanet sequence, was one of many launch titles for Sony’s newest PlayStation 5 final yr. Developed by Sumo Digital, who additionally helmed LittleBigPlanet 3, Sackboy has grow to be a PlayStation mascot, due to various spin-offs and appearances on each Sony’s handheld and residential consoles.
Also learn: PlayStation 5 evaluate: A touch of the long run
Although Sumo Pune has not developed a AAA recreation by itself but, Neal says the studio has been serving to co-develop titles inside the firm with vital contributions. “We are currently working across around 12 projects,” he says, with out sharing particulars.
Sumo Digital opened its Pune studio in 2007, initially as an artwork help studio. Over the years, nonetheless, it has reworked right into a multidiscipline improvement studio with over 140 folks. “India is an important market for the long term and we will continue to hire more and expand our skills,” Neal says.
Pune is quick rising because the online game improvement hub of India. (Image credit score: Sumo Digital)
Though the house console market in India is tiny in comparison with that of mature territories just like the US and Europe, some builders like Sumo Digital need to use India as a significant exporter of video games and develop AAA titles virtually completely for recreation consoles. “The main challenge is hiring and recruitment… there’s a lot of competition out there driven by the needs of content and the actual growth of the industry,” he explains, including that India has a “lot of highly-skilled talented people”. Sumo Digital competes with Ubisoft in addition to native builders for Indian expertise.
Mobile gaming is huge in India as a result of rising penetration of smartphones and the free-to-play nature of many standard titles. But online game consoles and high-priced video games nonetheless stay out of attain for common customers. Still, the nation is quick rising as an export hub for recreation builders and eSports corporations are rising their investments.
“Video Games were previously seen as a niche sector, but as we have seen over the years, it continues to expand and develop as more exposure happens across the sector,” Neil feedback on how creating video video games is now accepted as a profession possibility. “It’s definitely one of the recognised sectors to work in now.”
Recently, one other small indie studio in Pune, Nodding Heads Games, gained international fame with the discharge of Raji: An Ancient Epic, an action-adventure recreation primarily based on Indian folklore. It was first launched as a timed unique for Nintendo Switch in the course of final yr, and later made out there on different platforms, together with Xbox Game Pass.
Neil, who has been with Sumo Digital since 2014, was beforehand working with UK’s Codemasters. (Image credit score: Sumo Digital)
The success of Raji: An Ancient Epic exhibits that there’s a marketplace for video video games when the makers inform Indian tales that join with audiences worldwide. Neil agrees with the ingredient of “Indianness” in video video games, however gave no perception into how Sumo Digital might use the identical.
Neil, who has been with Sumo Digital since 2014, was beforehand working with UK’s Codemasters, the studio best-known for Formula One and Dirt franchises, which was picked up by Electronic Arts (EA) in a deal price $1.2 billion final yr.
Founded in Yorkshire in 2003, Sumo Digital has developed video games for Sony, Microsoft and Sega and is thought for hit installments within the Forza, Hitman, Sonic and LittleBigPlanet franchises. Sumo was within the information not too long ago when the Chinese tech large Tencent, maybe the world’s largest video games writer, agreed to purchase out the UK developer for $1.3 billion. Tencent has beforehand owned a minority stake in Sumo after buying 8.75 per cent of the corporate in November 2019.