Ashurst scores big with remit for Sega” />Ashurst has sealed its first deal for Japanese computer games company Sega.
The firm advised Sega Europe on its $30m (£15.6m) acquisition of award-winning games developer The Creative Assembly.
The deal, led by corporate partner Robert Ogilvy-Watson, closed on Friday 11 October. Kingsley Napley partner David Moss advised The Creative Assembly. The software developer is best known for its ‘Total War’ series.
The City firm won Sega as a client earlier this year thanks to connections between Ogilvy-Watson and Sega’s UK head of legal Nicola Steel.
Ashurst also has connections with Sega through its Japanese office, where Ken Kiyhora and Rupert Burrows know the games company. However, Ashurst has never advised the Sega in Asia and The Creative Assembly purchase was its first instruction.
Ogilvy-Watson said: “We’re very excited by the instruction.”
The Creative Assembly deal is Sega’s first major acquisition since 2001, when it pulled out of the consoles market to concentrate on software development.
Of the $30m purchase price, the vast majority will go to The Creative Assembly’s founder and majority owner Tim Ansell, although the company’s development director Mike Simpson will receive $4.5m (£7.5m) for his 15 per cent share.
