Splash Damage, the English studio behind first-person shooters like Dirty Bomb and Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory as well as the multiplayer side of Batman: Arkham Origins, is being bought by an unlikely new owner. Splash Damage are selling to Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited, which is a name you’re unlikely to know given that they’re a Chinese company whose main business has been poultry.

Looking to diversify from the exciting world of poultry and poultry products, they also own most of Digital Extremes (Leyou were Sumpo before). Isn’t business funny?

The sale isn’t settled but they expect to spend no more than $170 million, mostly on buying the bulk of Splash Damage’s shares from studio founder and head Paul Wedgwood. Though Digital Extremes still seem to be running Warframe pleasantly enough, we’ve no clear idea what this will mean for Splash Damage so, rather than waffle, let’s talk chicken.

As Leyou explain in the announcement [ta for the heads-up, AllGamesDelta]:

“[…] The Group continues to face an arduous task in respect of the Poultry Business, where, despite efforts to improve raw materials procurement, feed production, breeder and broiler breeding, broiler slaughtering and process, quality and safety management and sales mix rationalisation and channel expansion, the management of the Group still has limited control of the business results and profitability under the harsh operational environment in the PRC. The 2015 Annual Report also stated that the global market for video games industry continued to experience healthy growth despite a slowing world economy”

I don’t know what it says that video games are a better business prospect than poultry.

I probably don’t want to think about it.

For a spot of Splash Damage history, do check out our old Jim’s old interview with Paul Wedgwood.

Dirty Bomb is already prepared for this change of ownership, mind. The latest update added a wee chicken trinket – as seen below – which I had thought was to celebrate London’s many fine fried chicken shops (I still miss you, Stepney Fried Chicken) but…



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And I didn’t make any lousy puns about spending “170 million buck-buck-buckaws” or anything. And yeah I know it’s pigeons who say “coo” – you can cram your lousy puns you lousy pun jerks.

[Disclosure: I’m pally with a Splash Damage chap.]