Consumer technology group acquires UK’s most acclaimed gaming brand

Ben Miles, left, and Scott Brenchley

Warrington-based consumer technology business Tactus Group has acquired award winning PC gaming brand, Chillblast, for an undisclosed sum, further boosting its capabilities in the gaming space.

As the official PC supplier of Williams eSports – part of one of the world’s most historic Formula 1 teams – Chillblast devices are designed for gamers and enthusiasts who want to compete at the very highest level.

The Ministry of Defence’s RAF Air Cadet training simulators, used to train the pilots of tomorrow, are also built on Chillblast’s cutting-edge VR technology.

Located in Poole, Dorset, Chillblast has won hundreds of prestigious awards for its products, from the likes of PC Pro, PC Gamer and PC Advisor.

The company is also an Intel Platinum Member and Microsoft Silver OEM Partner.

This acquisition enhances Tactus’s status as a global multi-channel e-commerce business.

Chillblast’s unique offering and positioning in the gaming technology market is complementary to the existing brands in the wider group, including Geo, Horizon and Nazare.

In August, Tactus secured a £40m investment from Chrysalis Investments to facilitate its growth ambitions and boost capabilities.

It has completed an additional three transactions this year for B2B IT hardware provider (BIST) Group in September, and PC Gaming specialists CCL Computers in April.

The company also marked its first venture into the US in June with an investment into pi-top, a coding and robotics firm specialising in improving digital skills in education.

The UK gaming market hit £7bn in 2020, an increase of almost 30% on the previous year. The increased popularity of both streaming and e-sports will remain drivers of growth in the years to come.

Scott Brenchley, CEO of Tactus Group, said: “We are building a global technology group with unrivalled expertise in the gaming space.

“Ultimately, we want to change the way people buy and use technology, so we are investing in brands and platforms that deliver the solutions that customers need, when they need it.”

He added: “Ben and his team have created a business renowned for building the best high end PC systems on the market today, so Chillblast will be an excellent addition to Tactus and we look forward to welcoming them to the group.”

Ben Miles, managing director at Chillblast, said: “We’re excited to become part of the Tactus Group.

“We have built Chillblast into an award winning gaming brand over the last two decades and, with our presence in the gaming space well established, this is an exciting time for us to be joining a fast growing technology group like Tactus.”

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