Jake Habgood
Sumo Digital
Jake is a game developer and educator working across commercial production, higher education, and industry-led training. He began his career in the 1990s at Gremlin Graphics, contributing to PlayStation-era titles, before undertaking a PhD in Learning Sciences at the University of Nottingham.
He went on to author The Game Maker’s Apprentice (with Mark Overmars), a widely used introduction to game development focused on practical, hands-on learning.
Jake spent ten years at Sheffield Hallam University, where he developed studio-style teaching initiatives such as Steel Minions, before going on to found the Sumo Digital Academy, creating industry-aligned pathways into game development using apprenticeships.
His work focuses on training developers through real production experience, mentorship, and making games. His academy's latest release is a football management game called Nutmeg!.
