As a Sumo Digital studio, we’ve joined the pledge to make
positive changes to our environmental impact so we can all become carbon net zero by 2030. This is a huge challenge, and in addition to the bigger projects
taken on by our leadership teams, we also all need to pitch in by making small,
manageable changes to our workplace habits.

One of the ways we make sure we do this is with the help of
a passionate group of volunteers known as Climate Champions. Holly, our Office
Administrator and resident Climate Champion for Lab42, tells us all about why
she volunteered, what it means to her, and how she helps us in our goals to
build a greener work culture.

I guess I’m a bit of an eco-warrior and have been since I
was a kid; when conversations about climate change were 20 years in the future,
and everything was made from plastic. I grew up digging in the garden, playing
in the mud, fascinated by flowers and always hugging trees. I joke about being
a hedge-witch, but nature is my soul and my love for the environment influences
everything I do.

I had spoken to our Studio Director, Ed about being some sort of “eco rep” for Lab42, back before Climate Champions
were introduced, so it has been an interest since I first joined the company. I
was shocked when I realised the energy consumption and waste produced by even a
smaller studio like ours, and I was keen to make a difference. When the Climate
Champion initiative was announced, I volunteered right away!

All the Climate Champions are passionate about conserving
and protecting the environment, through new initiatives, education and
technology. I work together with other Sumo Climate Champions to generate new
ideas for improvement, we discuss how these ideas can work in our individual studios
and then roll out these initiatives across the company.

Changes made at Lab42 Games HQ

I’ve made quite a few changes at Lab42 Games so far. Hopefully
these small changes combined will have a positive impact and influence the
staff to think differently too! With that said, there is still a lot of room
for improvement.

Many of these changes are fairly simple, and anyone can implement them, both at home and the office.

• Installed bike racks to encourage cycling to work
• Swapped the kitchen bin for recycling bags, cutting down on bin liners
• Moved to using refillable hand soap
• Installed an EV charger for electric cars
• Changed to buying food in bulk, which cuts down on emissions from deliveries and packaging
• Buying predominantly vegan snacks for the office kitchen. This still needs work, but we’ve made a start. (And our vegan employees are appreciating it, too!)
• Installing a coffee machine, which is more energy efficient than boiling a kettle and produces less packaging waste
• Installed a water dispenser, to avoid buying plastic bottled water
• Recycling cables and peripheries
• Working closely with the cleaning team to ensure our hygiene practices are all eco-aware, such as using fewer bin liners, improving recycling, and waiting until the dishwasher is full before we turn it on

What plans are we making for the future?

We’ve made steps, but we’re far from finished. A few things I’m looking forward to:

• Create a green space outside where we can grow our own plants, including herbs and fruit, with seed and plant sharing
• Looking into getting a composting bin for kitchen and food waste 
• Reducing energy consumption
• Finding better ways to repurpose or recycle old tech
• Making better, more conscious choices for everything we buy. Everything from IT equipment to merchandise, to furniture and fittings.

This isn’t just important to me, or Lab42 Games, or Sumo
Digital, but is vital for all of us. We need better education, more awareness
and more action. We need our eco-warriors and our activists. The future is a
dark and scary place right now. The climate emergency will change life inexplicably,
and if we don’t act now, we are heading towards that dystopian future… and no
one is going to be making or playing games in that scenario!

Climate Champions is just one of the initiatives we’re embracing here at Lab42 Games. If you’re looking to bring your skills to a studio brimming with fresh ideas and a positive company culture, check out our careers page.

We’re passionate about bringing beloved games to new audiences, especially when it comes to creating great ports. We recently brought one of the most beloved grand strategy games of all time, Crusader Kings III, to console.

Since its release on the 29th of March, the positive reviews have been rolling in! See what industry experts have to say about our most royal port yet.

The Gamer (4.5/5)

Eurogamer

The Loadout (8/10)

PlayStation Universe (9/10)

If you’re looking for a team who can help you create a great port, get in touch.

Our Senior Artist has been shortlisted for a prestigious award celebrating the best female talent in the UK.

The shortlist for the 8th annual MCV/DEVELOP Women In Games Awards was announced last week and we’re incredibly proud to have Hannah, included in the shortlist.

Hannah is our Senior 2D Artist, and has been shortlisted for the Creative Impact award, following the success of her work on the Crusader Kings III console port.

We’re also pleased to share that our friends from other Sumo Digital studios have also been shortlisted for awards, with Jemma Harris of Sumo Newcastle and Ruth Anna Caulcott-Cooper of The Chinese Room both in the running for the ‘Development Impact’ award, while Sumo Leamington‘s Harinder Sangha is shortlisted as a ‘Career Mentor’ and France Quiquere is up for the ‘Technical Innovation’ award.

“We’re thrilled to have so many of our talented women nominated in these awards,” said Gary Dunn, Managing Director for Sumo Digital. “We always strive to recruit and retain the best in the industry, and we’re honoured that so many of the women working within our award-winning studios have been recognised by MCV/DEVELOP.

“We look forward to the winners being revealed and, regardless of the award results, celebrating the incredible talent that we have here.”

The winners of the MCV/DEVELOP Women In Games Awards 2022 will be revealed on 4th March during the live presentation at Altitude in London’s Millbank Tower.

The noble pageantry of medieval grand strategy is coming soon to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles.

We’ve partnered with Paradox Interactive to bring their celebrated strategy role-playing experience to console, giving an entirely new group of players a chance to build a legendary dynasty in the quintessential historical strategy game.

Working closely with the team from Paradox, together we’ve adapted the dynamic and ever-changing gameplay of Crusader Kings III to a new environment, taking advantage of the unique characteristics of console play. Few other games have as rich a tapestry of strategic options, with political marriages to bind noble houses, brutal wars to enforce quasi-legal claims, personal relationships to unite a fractured realm, and even subtle scheming to undermine or eliminate rivals.

Crusader Kings III on console features an adapted interface and control scheme specifically tailored to larger screens and console gamepads. The all-new control map lets players quickly and easily navigate the game’s menus via triggers, bumpers, and quick flicks of the analog stick. The console edition also utilizes the key capabilities of the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, like super-fast load times for a seamless gameplay experience as well as Haptic and Adaptive Trigger controller feedback. Players will be able to switch between gameplay and other applications, like YouTube, using Quick Resume, where they can consult a tutorial on how to quell a peasant revolt.

PlayStation 5 users will experience the game’s stress mechanics themselves, as their DualSense controllers physically react to in-game events as they unfold. The more stress a character has accrued, the more resistance will be applied to the DualSense controller’s Adaptive Triggers, for instance. The PS5’s Activities and Game Help also provide a platform to assist new players as they take their first steps in the world of Crusader Kings.

Features of Crusader Kings III include:

● Character Focused Gameplay: Every character you play or interact with has their own unique personality. Events and options in the game are largely determined by the type of person you are.

● Infinite Possibilities: Play as any noble house from Iceland to India, Finland to Central Africa, over five centuries. Interact with wandering guests, stubborn children, devious spymasters, and saintly holy men in an elaborate tapestry of medieval life.

● Waging War: Rally your vassals and raise your men-at-arms to besiege enemy castles or put down rebellions. Personal prowess on the battlefield can win you great honor, but strategic planning is the path to victory.

● Royal Marriages: Spread your dynastic DNA throughout the world, stamping your royal seal on the crests of kingdoms and duchies far and wide. Marry for power and raise children to press claims on new lands.

● Saints and Sinners: Keep faith with your religious leaders or perform great crimes in the interest of the state. When the going gets tough, you can always embrace a heresy or craft a new religion more in line with your character’s priorities.

The console edition of Crusader Kings III can now be pre-ordered on both Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. For more information, please visit www.crusaderkings.com

We’re delighted to announce our involvement in bringing Call of Duty®: Vanguard to life. 

We’re proud to announce that we recently supported Sledgehammer Games in delivering the Call of Duty®:Vanguard experience to both Xbox One and PlayStation 4. 

Call of Duty®: Vanguard released on Friday 5th November 2021 and features several ways to play: Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. It’s the most connected Call of Duty® experience across the franchise, letting players experience pivotal WWII battles through the eyes of the multinational heroes that formed Task Force One and changed the face of history. 

Lab42 Studio Director, Ed Blincoe, said: “I’m thrilled to share that our team have played a part in bringing the latest in the award-winning Call of Duty franchise to life.  

“Contributing to the development of this title has been a great opportunity for Lab42 to work on a series so beloved by players and critics alike.” 

Part of the Sumo Digital family, here at Lab42 we offer a range of game development services. We’ve also worked on titles including Human Fall Flat, Sonic Mania and WST Snooker, and most recently announced that we’ll soon be bringing Crusader Kings III to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, in partnership with Paradox Interactive.  Voted as one of Gamesindustry.biz’s Best Places to Work in both 2020 and 2021, we’re excited to be working on so many exciting opportunities with our amazing team. 

Call of Duty: Vanguard is available now worldwide.  

Want to be a part of bringing major games to life? Lab42 is currently hiring across a range of disciplines. More information on all opportunities can be found here.   

Lab42, Sumo Leamington and Secret Mode took part in a ‘show and tell’ on cardiac arrest and the use of defibrillators, with Lab42 purchasing a defibrillator for its office in Leamington.   

Junior Level Designer, Benjamin Culff, was just 17 when he suffered a cardiac arrest at the restaurant he worked in at the time. Thanks to quick thinking, training and the essential installation of a defibrillator on the site, Ben is now able to tell the tale of his experience and has brought his experience to his role at Lab42. 

“I’ve been at Lab42 since May after a two-year undergrad and a one-year Masters at Birmingham City University”, says Ben, “and a fun fact about me is that I am actually part Iron Man because of an iron plate in my chest!” 

The plate Ben is referring to is an ICD [implantable cardioverter-defibrillator] – a pacemaker and defibrillator which kicks into action if his heart drops out of ‘normal’ range. This was fitted after he suffered a cardiac arrest at aged 17. 

“I was working as a waiter and was on a normal morning shift, I’d worked a double the day before and was headed upstairs to get some glasses when I collapsed. My colleague called for help and the chefs and management team began CPR, rang for an ambulance and grabbed the defibrillator which was in reception. 

“The first shock didn’t change anything so he had to wait another two minutes to try again. That caused me to draw breath but I instantly went full Hulk.” said Ben. “When you’ve had a cardiac arrest, the adrenaline surge can sometimes bring out your superhuman strength and you become heavily agitated. As soon as I was shocked the second time, it took six paramedics to hold me down and I ripped out all my cannulas.”, explained Ben. 

“Because I was only 17, it set off major alarm bells so I had a two ambulances, a fast response unit and two air ambulances sent for me. Once I was stable, an air ambulance transferred me to Stoke on Trent hospital where I spent two days in the ICU. In memory, I lost the day it happened and the two days after – I don’t remember anything that happened during my cardiac arrest.” 

Ben’s experience inspired Lab42 to organise the cardiac arrest show and tell and to purchase a defibrillator. The security of being surrounded by colleagues who are confident with how to use a defibrillator is a huge comfort to Ben, he said: “Knowing we have a defib has had such a positive impact on my work life and gives me peace of mind. The games industry can be stressful at times and stress can be a contributing factor so it’s great to have that security for everyone – it doesn’t matter how old you are or what’s going on in your life, a cardiac arrest could happen to anyone.” 

He’s hopeful that his story will inspire more companies to buy a defib and undergo the training and believes it will be commonplace in workplaces and public buildings moving forward. “I think it shows a company’s work ethic and commitment to its people if they have a defib and training in place. It’s something I think should be a necessity – just like having a fire extinguisher is.” 

The show and tell was conducted remotely by Keith Dawson, a retired EMS who volunteers for Tamworth Have A Heart – a charity Ben is also involved with. The team were advised on the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack, how to deal with both and best practice when it comes to using a defibrillator.  

“It’s so important for me to be a young advocate and to raise awareness of cardiac arrests in young people. There’s a common misconception that you’re only likely to suffer a cardiac arrest if you’re older or unwell but at the time of mine, I was just a normal 17-year-old. It really can happen to anyone.” 

Ed Blincoe, Studio Director at Lab42, said: “We’re extremely proud to support Ben in raising awareness of the importance of defibrillators in the workplace. 

“Our goal is to create a workplace in which everyone can feel safe and reassured and are always listening to our people as to what they’d like to see us deliver.” 

Ben was recently featured on BBC Midlands talking about the defibrillator at Lab42, and you can find out more about his incredible story here. 

As well as raising crucial awareness, Lab42 are also busy working on some incredibly exciting projects and growing its fantastic team. All information about current opportunities can be found on the Careers Page.