Culture & Creativity at Sumo Nottingham

Here at Sumo Nottingham, we’re big believers in the power of bringing our people together - whether that’s for social events, game jams or a celebration of their achievements. 

Last month, we were able to open our studio doors and welcome our teams back to the space for the first time since 2020. The day marked the official launch of our new hybrid working system, the end of a studio renovation and, most importantly, the achievements of our team – including those who worked on Forza Horizon 5, those who continue to work on the upcoming The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and those who have levelled up this year. 

Someone who levelled up in the last year is our Studio Engagement Manager Karen Standard who helps keep us connected, checks in on our health and wellbeing and who keeps us all on track in our roles. Karen and her Studio Admin team, including Natalie Beer and Julie Judd, were responsible for organising our studio day and talk here about the importance of keeping connected. 

“Since Sumo Nottingham was founded in 2016, we’ve always held our pillars of family and collaboration at the heart of everything we do and have always loved our in-studio culture. Of course, during the pandemic it became impossible for our teams to work together in a face to face environment and we turned our attention to ways of connecting our teams online. 

“We had to really ensure the team still felt like one unit working towards common goals even though they were miles apart working from their spare bedrooms and at dining room tables. Through launching a programme of events and working in the background to ensure the studio was available and fit for purpose as and when we were allowed to return. 

“Just one of the online events we launched in lockdown is our Stitch and B*tch sessions, which recognise the plethora of creative talent we’re so proud to have within our teams. Hosted weekly, online or in person, the sessions allow our teams to take time away from projects and be with like-minded colleagues to get creative. Whether it’s prop making, Lego building or creating art, we love getting to see our teams share their passions and put their talent on display. 

“Back in the studio, myself and the Admin team were hard at work ensuring our spaces suited the team and their workflow. Following a refurbishment period, we’re delighted to now have five different shared spaces for our people to co-work and collaborate plus spaces for them to take a breather and relax. 

“The open day was an opportunity for us to reintroduce our teams to the studio and its facilities, meet their colleagues - some for the first time! - and celebrate their wins over the last two years. We invited everyone to join us (if they felt comfortable to do so) and hosted tours, Senior Leadership ‘ask me anything’ drop in sessions – which we’re so proud to offer on the regular – and the day was completed by plenty of cake, gaming tournaments and our very own fish and chip van to keep us fuelled. 

“At Sumo Nottingham, we’re incredibly proud to offer every single person in our team a home away from home and a family environment. Whether it’s through growth and development, exciting projects to work on or celebrating each other – our people are always our priority.” 

  Want to join our fantastic team? All current opportunities can be found here.