Game on as Facepunch plugs into 103 Colmore Row
18 October 2022
Video game developer and publisher Facepunch Studios Ltd has taken a floor at 103 Colmore Row – Birmingham’s tallest office building.
The company has signed a ten-year lease on the eighth floor (12,132 sq ft) of the 26-storey office tower, becoming the 11th tenant and the first non-professional and financial services firm to relocate to the building.
Facepunch was founded in 2004 by Garry Newman and is currently based in Walsall. The company is best known for its popular multiplayer survival game ‘Rust’, which has sold almost 14 million copies to date. Other titles include Garry’s Mod, Chippy and Sandbox. In total, Facepunch has sold more than 38 million games worldwide.
The deal demonstrates how 103 Colmore Row’s Grade A, BREEAM ‘Excellent’ office space meets the demands of the growing tech and creative community in Birmingham, by providing flexible space designed for the sector’s focus on employee experience and company culture.
The West Midlands has the fastest growing cluster of tech companies outside London. The region’s gaming sector employs more than 32,000 software developers – the largest population in the UK – and is responsible for 25 per cent of the UK’s game market output.
Craig Gwilt, director at Facepunch, said: “We’re really excited to be relocating to 103 Colmore Row. Birmingham is the right choice for our expansion plans as there’s an abundance of creative talent in the area we can attract, with excellent transport links for our local, national and international employees and visitors, as well as the local amenities all within easy reach.
“Sitting right in the heart of the city centre, 103 Colmore Row is the perfect location for our new home.”
James Howarth, managing director of Sterling Property Ventures, developers of 103 Colmore Row, said: “To date, tenants at 103 Colmore Row have been exclusively from the business, professional and financial services sector, but we’re thrilled to add a creative, tech-based business to the mix.
“Facepunch’s decision to relocate its studio to 103 Colmore Row has broken the mould for traditional office buildings and demonstrates how they can be utilised by creative and tech businesses.”
Paul Pritchard, executive director at Tristan Capital Partners, said: “The tech world is widely known for its creative workspaces and innovative use of space. Appealing to a variety of sectors such as this one is why we have taken a thoughtful approach at 103 Colmore Row to deliver what creative companies require. We hope 103 Colmore Row provides Facepunch with the freedom to stay at the top of its game and grow the business.”
103 Colmore Row is Birmingham’s tallest office building, providing 223,631 sq ft of grade A, BREEAM ‘Excellent’, EPC A rated workspace. A double height restaurant on the 24th floor and a ground floor bar and café, operated by D&D London, opens this month, along with a members’ business club on the 18th floor, in addition to three floors of flexible office space, managed by x+why.
Tenants include Arcadis, Browne Jacobson, Colliers, Gallagher, Grant Thornton, Knight Frank, RSM, Shoosmiths, and Tilney Smith & Williamson.
The office space is being marketed by Colliers, Cushman & Wakefield, and Knight Frank.
