Co-development studio Vertpaint has appointed former Sumo Group co-founder and CEO Carl Cavers OBE as non-executive director and shareholder.
Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz, Cavers said he was drawn to “the talent in the team, their passion for doing things the right way, and wanting to be the best at what they do.”
“The work-for-hire landscape has changed a lot over recent years and the approach to co-dev has evolved, requiring more flexibility and specific skills which Vertpaint are well positioned to accommodate and offer something that is genuinely a value-add.”
Vertpaint was founded in 2019 by CEO James Macleod, who’d previously worked at Rockstar and Digital Extremes, and announced it received “multi-million-dollar funding” in 2025. The studio has worked on releases for Digital Extremes, Crytek, NetEase and Moonton, and is currently working on its own horror title Ritual Tides, which was formally revealed in March.
Cavers acknowledges that the global development landscape remains challenging both in the UK and globally, and describes some of the current problems are “analogous with the past.”
“The large scale reductions are sadly a reflection of what we’ve seen before as publishers and large scale developers look to manage costs,” he says.”Overall the industry is still providing opportunities, but in a different way – it’s more concentrated and the increased risk profile of doing something new makes it very challenging.”
“I do believe that we will see a return to brighter, more buoyant times, but similarly to the last big struggles of 2008-2012 I think we still have a year or so before things improve. For Vertpaint, this is not just about surviving the present situation, but ensuring that as a co-dev partner we’re in the best place to deliver the needs of our clients as they evolve.”
“I do believe that we will see a return to brighter, more buoyant times, but similarly to the last big struggles of 2008-2012 I think we still have a year or so before things improve”
Cavers introduction to the business was unconventional, says Macleod: he met the CEO’s brother Callum, who recently joined as Commercial Director, when they were both driving in a pro-am lineup in the British GT Championship. James Macleod described Cavers as somebody he’s “admired for years”, having previously “looked to Sumo Digital as the benchmark for what a great UK games company could become.”
“Carl built a world-class studio, fostered a developer-first culture, earned the trust of the industry’s biggest publishers, and ultimately led Sumo through its landmark acquisition by Tencent. As a founder, that journey has always been hugely inspiring, and the opportunity to draw on Carl’s first-hand experience and strategic insight as we continue to grow Vertpaint is invaluable.”
“Carl chose to join Vertpaint because of what he saw: our people, our culture, our values and our ambition. To have someone with his experience and reputation believe in what we’re building is incredibly humbling. For us, it’s a real vote of confidence that we’re on the right path and building something genuinely special.”
He continued: “The opportunity to draw on Carl’s first-hand experience and strategic insight as we continue to grow Verpaint is invaluable.”
As for what’s ahead, Macleod said that Vertpaint is in a “fantastic position” as it supports publishers and independent studios “across multiple genres, platforms, and stages of development.”
“While we can’t discuss specific projects, demand for experienced co-development partners continues to grow. Studios now rely on partners that integrate seamlessly into production and consistently deliver at the highest standard, and that’s where Vertpaint has built its reputation.”
“Looking ahead, our focus isn’t on a particular genre or platform. It’s on working with studios that value long-term collaboration and want a partner they can rely on. Carl joining the business is a key part of that next phase. His experience will help us scale while staying true to the culture, innovation and quality that have got us here.”
He also highlighted how Cavers’ experience will provide Vertpaint with “invaluable insight as we enter our next stage of growth.”
“Outside of the co-development that Carl will be focused on, we’ve been investing in our own original and highly ambitious IP, Ritual Tides. As we push the boundaries of what’s possible on the project, we’re actively developing new technology, tools and production innovations that directly benefit our co-development work, allowing us to deliver increasingly sophisticated solutions to our partners.”
