Sporty Group moves into games as it acquires Sociable Soccer

Sporty Group, a global sports and betting entertainment company, has moved into games with the acquisition of Sociable Soccer.

Sociable Soccer is the brainchild of legendary game designer Jon Hare, famous for creating the Sensible Soccer franchise in the 1990s, widely regarded as one of the finest soccer video games of all time and still loved by millions of gamers worldwide.

Featuring fast-paced arcade soccer action and more than 12,000 FIFPro soccer players, Sociable Soccer offers a fresh alternative to traditional football games. 

Sociable Soccer is already attracting players on Steam and Nintendo Switch, with upcoming launches slated for Xbox and PlayStation later this year.

Hare has a strong pedigree for designing hit games with 11 titles that have reached No. 1 during his career, including a chart-topping soccer game in each of the last four decades. The acclaimed designer initiated the Sociable Soccer project several years ago and will continue to spearhead its development, focusing on game design and product management leveraging Sporty’s resources and innovative vision.

With a mission to provide everyday entertainment platforms for everyone, Sporty Group has built a team of over 1,000 people, engaging millions of daily users worldwide across 10 countries and three continents. SportyBet, the group’s flagship betting and gaming brand, stands as one of the world’s most visited betting and gaming platforms.

Additionally, Sporty Group owns and operates SportyTV, a free-to-air, 24/7 linear channel that serves as the home of premium sports in Nigeria and Ghana, offering exclusive live broadcasts of the Premier League, Serie A, UEFA EURO 2024, Olympic Games and more. Sporty.com, the ultimate sports app, provides top sports news, football live scores, social features, and much more, rounding out Sporty Group’s comprehensive suite of entertainment offerings.

In a statement, Hare said, “I am very proud of my games and business legacy. It is no mean feat to have run two independent games studios generating numerous successful original IPs spanning five decades and to have now sold both businesses while continuing to develop best-selling games with fans around the world. In recent years, game development and publishing has become more complex than ever and the landscape ever more competitive, making it harder for titles to find their audience.”

He added, “Bringing our talented development team under the Sporty umbrella allows us to continue to focus on what we do best, designing and creating hit games for as many platforms and gamers as possible. To be able to do this safely in the knowledge that we have a highly successful, growing sports entertainment conglomerate behind us makes Sporty the ideal partner for us as it will allow us to build better games and expand our audience.”

Gregory Parsons, vice president of business development for Sporty Group, said in a statement, “As we continue to enhance and diversify Sporty Group’s overall portfolio, we have been considering adding a football video game to the Sporty ecosystem. As part of this process, we have investigated a number of opportunities in the sector. Once we sat down with Jon and his team it was clear that we shared the same ambitions and we were only too happy to bring them into the Sporty family. We have great plans for the future of Sociable Soccer and view this as just the beginning of a journey.”

In an interview, Parsons said “It’s an exciting opportunity for our sports entertainment business. By bringing on board Sociable Soccer, we have an interesting new vertical. We’re gearing towards creating the most entertaining experiences for our users and there are lots of synergies.”