Strategic advisory
Clarify studio direction, commercial positioning, operating models, partnerships and the choices that shape the next phase.
Thailand / working worldwide
Clearer thinking for consequential decisions.
I advise founders, boards and leadership teams on strategy, M&A readiness and leadership. I bring the perspective of someone who has built studios, led teams and navigated acquisitions from inside the work.
01 / ADVISORY
Robert Troughton
Advice for the decisions that shape what comes next.
Robert provides strategic advisory, M&A readiness and leadership counsel to founders, boards and leadership teams. He also writes, speaks and takes on selective operating work where his experience can make a practical difference.
Core focus
Strategic advisory · M&A readiness · Leadership counsel · Writing and speaking · Selective operating work
02 / SERVICES
Where Robert adds value
Practical advice when the stakes are high.
Robert works directly with the people responsible for the next decision, helping them test the plan, identify trade-offs and move with more confidence.
M&A strategy and readiness
Prepare for a transaction, assess value drivers, pressure-test the story and get ready for diligence, negotiations and transition.
Leadership counsel
Use a direct, experienced sounding board for growth, restructuring, succession, difficult team decisions and strategic resets.
Writing and speaking
Clear, practical perspectives on company building, technical leadership, AI-assisted development and the realities behind acquisition.
Selected work beyond games
Apply games-industry operating experience to technology strategy, creative organisations and evidence-led decision-making.
For hands-on game engineering, visit DinoSloth.
03 / RECORD
Evidence from the work
Built, led, sold and shipped.
Robert’s advisory practice is grounded in operating experience: studio acquisitions, technical leadership at Epic Games and credits across several generations of hardware.
30+years in games and technology
3studio acquisitions navigated
15+major titles shipped
50+developers led at peak
DinoSlothFounder & Managing Director
Leads an independent game-engineering and delivery practice.
Coconut LizardCo-founder & Managing Director
Built a specialist co-development studio, partnered on Sea of Thieves and Conan Exiles, then led its sale to Keywords Studios.
Pitbull Studio / Epic Games UKFounder / General Manager
Founded Pitbull Studio, sold it to Epic Games and led the UK operation contributing to Unreal Engine 4 and Epic titles.
Engineer to studio founderReflections · Scavenger · Pitbull Syndicate · Midway · CCP
From Destruction Derby and Test Drive to Wheelman and Dust 514, spanning low-level graphics, optimisation and studio formation.
CCP GamesSenior Rendering Programmer
Led rendering performance and optimisation work on Dust 514 for PlayStation 3 using Unreal Engine 3.
Midway GamesLead Optimisation Programmer
Worked on engine-level performance for Wheelman across PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Pitbull SyndicateCo-founder & Lead Xbox/PC Programmer
Built the studio and led programming across Test Drive, Demolition Racer and LA Rush before its acquisition by Midway.
Reflections / ScavengerProgrammer / Engine Programmer
Worked on Destruction Derby and a ground-up real-time 3D engine during the transition to PlayStation-era development.
04 / WRITING
Ideas from the operator’s seat.
Every Business Has Expensive Assumptions
Most businesses don’t have an AI problem. They have an evidence problem.
Read article →The strange route into game development
Cassette tapes, sleep deprivation and accidentally becoming employable.
Read article →Smaller teams, better leadership
Why AI may increase the impact of small, highly capable teams.
Read article →05 / CONTACT