Sumo Digitalhas had a very busy few recent years. Since 2020, Sumo Digital has self-published its own game,Spyder, worked with Sony to releaseSackboy: A Big Adventurefor the launch of the PS5, partnered with Xbox to bringForza Horizon 4to Steam, and is currently sustaining the post-launch of multiplayer gameHood: Outlaws & Legends. It doesn’t look likeSumo Digitalis slowing down anytime soon, either. A job listing hints that a follow-up to one of Sumo’s “AAA IP” is currently in the works.
The job listing in question is for an associate art director atSumo Digital’s Sumo Sheffield location. There’s nothing complicated about the job listing. It states straight away that the role will be responsible for helping to “develop and grow the universe of an existing AAA IP.” Further details include being an “advocate and spokesperson for the franchise,” but no specifics are otherwise provided regarding the IP itself.
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What’s probably the biggest question left unanswered is whether the IP in question is something Sumo Digital owns or if it’s an IP from one of Sumo Digital’s partners. After all, Sumo Digital has a long history of working with big IP from its partners. That includesLittleBigPlanetfrom Sony,Sonicfrom Sega,Hitmanfrom IO Interactive, and others. In fact, any of Sumo Digital’s own IP, which includesSnake Pass,Spyder, andHood: Outlaws & Legends, could fit that description if scaled up
In terms of speculation, there are only a handful of possible recent AAA game releases that would make sense for Sumo Digital to be making a sequel or follow-up to. Those games include 2019’sCrackdown 3, as Xbox is aggressively partnering with third-part studios for exclusive games,Team Sonic Racingor anotherSonicracing game, which Sega will very likely fund endlessly, andSackboy: A Big Adventure, given Sumo Digital’s continued support of theLittleBigPlanetfranchise.
There is another possibility that may already have been confirmed, however. Sumo Digital could be working in an entirely different AAA IP for the very first time. A profile for Sumo Digital narrative director Saga Longthorne published in May mentioned she is working on a AAA release in one of the “world’s best known and best-loved fantasy franchises.” The description conjures names likeHarry Potter,The Lord of the Rings, andGame of Thrones. No announcement has been made since.
Sumo Digital has five different studios and over 750 employees. It’s more than capable of handling projects of any size, for any IP. While it has historically worked with partners like Sony, Sega, Xbox, and others, it has also spent recent years growing its self-published portfolio. Also, itsrecent acquisition by Tencentmay provide funding for larger self-published projects. Regardless of what project might be next,Sumo Digitalfans should be very excited for the future.
