RuneScape and Scum developer Jagex has been acquired by two private equity firms for an undisclosed sum.
In a press release, investment companies CVC Capital Partners and Haveli Investments announce that they have acquired the British studio, confirming a Sky News report from earlier this week.
That same Sky News report suggested that CVC, which is also a backer of the prestigious Six Nations rugby tournament, would pay around £900 million (about $1.137 billion) for the studio, but CVC and Haveli haven't disclosed the terms of the transaction.
In the press release, CVC and Haveli say that Jagex enjoyed "a hugely successful 2023", bringing "record subscribers" to both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape.
Jagex CEO Phil Mansell says that CVC and Haveli will help his studio "build on our portfolio of forever games", and that the studio will continue to create "more of the experiences our fans love".
As well as developing MMORPG RuneScape, Jagex also publishes the open-world survival game Scum, having acquired Scum developer Gamepires in 2022.
That's not the only developer Mansell's studio bought in 2022, either; the British developer also acquired Oregon studio Pipeworks, known for co-development on games like Terraria and Devil May Cry: HD Collection, that same year.
Of course, Jagex has been through its own acquisition saga, and it's full of twists and turns.
Once owned by Chinese company Fukong Interactive, Jagex was sold to the holding company Macarthur Fortune Holding in 2020.
Following this sale, the investment company Carlyle Group attempted to purchase Jagex in January 2021, but found itself at the center of an ownership dispute involving private equity firm Plutos Sama, which claimed it had the rights to the RuneScape studio.
The sale to Carlyle Group eventually went through, however, and it's from Carlyle Group that CVC and Haveli are purchasing Jagex. Thankfully, this sale seems to be a great deal more straightforward. Stay tuned for more.
