Member Article

Sunderland games company doubles in size following a string of app developments

Coatsink Software, a Sunderland Software Centre-based game and app developer, has added 11 new people to its development team, taking the business’ total headcount to 23, and has also taken more office space to accommodate the significant expansion.

The 11 new recruits include a project manager, three programmers, three designers, three artists and an animator. The majority of the recruits come from North East universities, with graduates from Sunderland, Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Teesside.

Tom Beardsmore, Creative director and founder, said: “It’s fantastic to see the business expanding by so much, and so quickly. We’re delighted to have our new recruits on board and we’re excited to be able to have a team of dedicated, creative and talented people.”

The business, based in the Sunderland Software Centre, was founded in 2009 and has developed popular puzzle games like Pinch and Chip, and PC/console games like Shu and SuperGlad which are set for release later this year.

The expansion is owed to a number of new projects, with the company expanding its portfolio by investing in virtual reality (VR) projects, debuting its first VR game Esper earlier this year for Samsung Gear VR.

Tom said that the business has benefitted from being part of the thriving software community at Sunderland Software Centre. He said: “Everyone here at Coatsink has a real love of games and the gaming industry, and we are really proud to be part of a community that is genuinely thriving here in the North East.

“The gaming sector is growing generally, but it has helped us enormously to be based in a region that can quickly accommodate our growth, and that supports us with gaming events and developer nights, where we test out our new games with friends and contacts in the centre’s cinema room. The environment has been great for us.”

Dave Smith, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s always great to see businesses thriving in Sunderland.

“Coatsink is a perfect example of a business reaping the benefits of being based somewhere with a strong and active software and digital hub like we have here.

“Sunderland has the soft and hard infrastructure to support the digital sector, as well as a real pool of talent for tech businesses to tap into.

“Sunderland Software Centre is one of three Digital Catapults across the UK, providing the support for growth and development to digital businesses, so we have no doubt that businesses like Coatsink will continue to expand and thrive in the city.”

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