Jagex, the developer behind the hit MMORPG Old School RuneScape and the less-successful-but-still-big RuneScape, is to be acquired by CVC Capital Partners and Haveli Investments. This isn't the first time the company was acquired, with the previous owner being The Carlyle Group, a company with no previous experience in the development of games.

The same is true of CVC Capital Partners, a Louxembourg private equity firm. Jagex's own press release (quoted and linked below) focuses on their investment in the sports field and their fan-focused business, with the hopes of assisting in RuneScape's (both of them) subscriber and revenue growth.

Haveli Investments, on the other hand, does have some experience in the gaming field, with the Austin-based company investing in the following:

  • Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive.
  • Omeda Studios, who are working on the upcoming FPS MOBA Predecessor (those following the Epic Games giveaway should have that one).
  • And Candivore, who released the mobile game Match Masters.

Jagex's official post on the matter has given no information on how much the acquisition cost. Phil Mansell, CEO at Jagex, had this to say on the matter:

Quote From Phil Mansell

You can find the entire blog post below:

Quote From Author

Acquisition announced following continuous growth of leading British developer and publisher

Friday 9th February 2024, Cambridge, UK. Global private equity and investment advisory firm CVC Capital Partners (CVC Funds) and Haveli Investments today announced it has agreed to acquire Jagex, a leading developer and publisher of video games. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Jagex employs over 700 people worldwide and creates forever games for PC, Mobile and Console that empower its communities. RuneScape, its flagship franchise has generated more than $1.5 billion in lifetime revenue, over its 23-year history. Jagex acquired Pipeworks and Gamepires in 2022, expanding its cross-platform capabilities and bringing its expertise in creating forever fans to SCUM, an open-world survival title in Steam Early Access. Jagex enjoyed a hugely successful 2023, with record subscribers for its RuneScape and Old School RuneScape titles and building its strong partnership with Gamepires ahead of Scum’s PC and Console launch in 2024.

CVC Capital Partners, headquartered in Luxembourg, is one the world’s largest private equity firms, with over €188bn assets managed within its portfolio. With investments in the global sports field, such as the Gujarat Titans, LaLiga, Lique De Football Professionnel, Premiership Rugby and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), CVC Capital Partners has rich form in growing fan-focused businesses on the global stage. CVC Capital Partners will support Jagex by leveraging its expertise and resources to assist the company’s continued subscriber and revenue growth, alongside its community driven philosophy as it looks to build upon the success of RuneScape and Old School RuneScape and create more forever games under the Jagex brand.

Haveli Investments is an Austin-based private equity firm that seeks to partner with innovative companies, entrepreneurs and management teams. Haveli’s Gaming Fund has previously invested in London-based Omeda Studios, whose title Predecessor is currently in Early Access, Montreal-based Behaviour Interactive, the developer and publisher behind the hit online, genre-leading horror game Dead by Daylight and Tel Aviv-based Candivore, the developer and publisher of the category leading mobile hit Match Masters. Jagex was acquired by Carlyle in 2021, supporting Jagex with the acquisitions of Pipeworks and Gamepires in 2022, while Jagex continued to deliver year-on-year performance gains.

Phil Mansell, CEO, Jagex, said, “I’m delighted to welcome CVC Capital Partners and Haveli Investments as strategic partners for Jagex. CVC and Haveli will help Jagex build on our portfolio of forever games, furthering our aims of supporting and growing our community of forever fans. Together we’ll create more of the experiences our fans love, innovate to empower our players further, and build new forever games that capture imaginations.” He continued, “The support from Carlyle has been exceptional, and that success has positioned Jagex for the future. With the continued growth of our flagship RuneScape franchise, we’re crafting more adventures to delight our forever fans, and we’re excited about the future, as we create new experiences that play to our strengths of putting our communities at the heart of everything we do.”

What do you think of this acquisition? What do you expect to come in Jagex's future? Let us know in the comments below!