Jagex agreed to be acquired by CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII and Haveli Investments in a deal reported at £900 million, or about $1.1 billion. The buyers and seller did not disclose the transaction terms, so the dollar figure is a reported estimate—not a price confirmed by the parties.
Who bought Jagex?
On 9 February 2024, Carlyle announced that CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII and Haveli Investments had agreed to acquire Jagex. Carlyle was the seller. The announcement said the transaction was subject to customary regulatory approvals. Carlyle’s announcement and Jagex’s announcement did not state the buyers’ respective ownership shares or provide an exact legal closing date.
Was Jagex really sold for $1.1 billion?
The approximately $1.1 billion figure is based on Canaccord Genuity’s February 2024 transaction report, which described the pending purchase price as £900 million (about US$1.1 billion). The parties’ announcements said the terms were not disclosed. Accordingly, £900 million is a reported estimate, not a transaction price publicly confirmed by Jagex, Carlyle, CVC or Haveli. The available sources also do not establish whether the reported figure refers to equity value, enterprise value or another measure. Canaccord Genuity’s February 2024 report provides the estimate.
What the transaction says about Jagex
Jagex is the Cambridge-based developer and publisher behind the RuneScape games. The company says it was founded in 2000; RuneScape launched in January 2001, followed by RuneScape 2 in 2004–2007, RuneScape 3 in 2012 and Old School RuneScape in 2013. Jagex’s company history gives that timeline.
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In its 2024 sale announcement, Carlyle described Jagex as having approximately 700 employees, 2.4 million active subscribers and one million free-to-play users at that time. Those are figures stated in the 2024 announcement, not current user or workforce measurements. Carlyle also cited more than 300 million lifetime RuneScape accounts and $1.5 billion in lifetime franchise revenue. The revenue figure is a cumulative franchise figure, not the sale price. Carlyle’s release also says Jagex had acquired Pipeworks Studios and Gamepires in 2022.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is—and is not—confirmed
- Confirmed by the parties: Carlyle announced an agreement for CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII and Haveli Investments to acquire Jagex on 9 February 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
- Reported, not disclosed by the parties: Canaccord Genuity put the pending purchase price at £900 million, approximately US$1.1 billion.
- Not established in the cited announcements and report: the exact legal closing date, the ownership split between CVC and Haveli, and the valuation measure represented by the reported price.
In the announcement, Jagex chief executive Phil Mansell called CVC and Haveli its “new strategic partners” for the next stage of the company’s journey. CVC and Haveli representatives likewise described plans to work with the Jagex team and develop RuneScape. These were the parties’ stated intentions at announcement, not evidence of later business outcomes.
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