Plaion

Early history (1994–2015)

Koch Media was founded in 1994 by Franz Koch (founder of Koch International) and his business partner, Klemens Kundratitz to market and distribute software.^[3][4][5] Koch Media operated out of offices in Germany and Austria, while a regional subsidiary, Koch Media Ltd., was opened in England.^[6] In 1995, Koch Media sold more than 250,000 software licenses, and in 1996, the company began distributing video games.^[6] Another regional subsidiary, Koch Media AG, was formed in Switzerland in 1998.^[6] A holding company, Koch Media Holding, was established in 2000 to unite Koch Media's business areas.^[6] The same year, Koch Media srl was formed as a regional subsidiary for Italy.^[6]

In 2002, Koch Media established Deep Silver as a video game publishing division to "complement games that [Koch Media] was distributing".^[7][8] A film division, Koch Home Entertainment, was announced in June 2003 and formally formed in early October.^[9][10] A game label for mass-market games, Fantastic.tv, was announced in November 2003.^[11] In October 2005, Koch Media acquired French distributor SG Diffusion, which had recently signed with NCsoft to distribute their game Guild Wars.^[12][13] SG Diffusion was renamed Koch Media SAS in January 2006.^[14] In February 2006, they established Koch Media Licensing GmbH as their license holding subsidiary.^[15] Another game label, named Spielen wir (lit. "Let's Play"), was created in July 2008 to publish casual games under.^[16] The same month, Koch Media acquired Proein, the Spanish distribution arm of SCi Entertainment, to undisclosed terms.^[17] Proein was renamed Koch Media S.L.U. in January 2009.^[18] Regional offices for Scandinavian and Benelux countries, operated by the England subsidiary, were opened in February and July that year, respectively.^[19][20] In March 2012, Koch Media had 250 employees.^[21] The creation of another game publishing label named Ravenscourt, focusing on simulation games, was announced in March 2015.^[22] In August 2015, Koch Media Licensing GmbH was renamed Koch Films GmbH and absorbed the operations of the former Koch Home Entertainment division.^[23]

Under Embracer Group (2018–present)

On 14 February 2018, Koch Media Holding was acquired by THQ Nordic AB (later known as Embracer Group), a Swedish video game holding company.^[24] The purchase agreement was signed at 8:00 AM, and the deal was announced that same day.^[24][25] The deal comprised a purchase price of €91.5 million, split into €66 million in cash paid at closure of the deal (which was expected to occur later on the same day), €9.5 million in stock to be paid by 15 June 2018, and another €16 million in cash to be paid by 14 August 2018.^[1] The total consideration for Koch Media's share capital amounted to €121 million on a cash and debt-free basis.^[1]

Koch and Kundratitz had owned 90% and 10% in the company, respectively, and both of them sold their shares, and THQ Nordic AB became the sole owner of the company.^[24] According to manager Reinhard Gratl, the sale primarily came about because Koch wanted to retire, and no one in his family was interested in taking over the business.^[24] He asked for all money to be paid to Koch Media instead of him, so the company could profit from the deal.^[24] Koch resigned from Koch Media on the same day.^[24] Koch Media's management, consisting of chief executive officer Kundratitz, chief financial officer Gratl and chief operating officer Stefan Kapelari, was subsequently joined by THQ Nordic AB's Erik Stenberg.^[24]

On 13 February 2019, Koch Media entered into an agreement to acquire Czech developer Warhorse Studios. Warhorse's game Kingdom Come: Deliverance had been co-published by Deep Silver exactly one year prior, and Koch Media paid €42.8 million, equal to Warhorse's 2018 earnings, to seize ownership over the studio and its intellectual property.^[26] The acquisition closed later that day.^[27] Also on the same day, it was announced that Koch Media had also acquired 18point2, an Australian publishing partner, for €1.9 million, aiming at establishing a stronger presence in the Australian market for Koch Media.^[28][29] The two acquisitions added 120 and 8 employees, respectively, to Koch Media's staff.^[30][31]

In June 2019, THQ Nordic AB acquired KSM GmbH, a German distributor of anime films, from its founder and chief executive officer (CEO), Benjamin Krause.^[32] KSM is to be merged into Koch Films.^[32] Also acquired was Gaya Entertainment, a merchandise production company; Nordic Games Group, a holding company controlled by THQ Nordic AB CEO Lars Wingefors, sold the subsidiary to THQ Nordic AB for €1 at the end of the latter's first fiscal quarter of 2019.^[32] Gaya Entertainment is to be consolidated with Koch Media's operations.^[32] On 14 August 2019, Koch Media agreed to fully acquire racing game developer Milestone srl and all of its intellectual property for €44.9 million paid in cash.^[33][34] The acquisition was completed later that day.^[35]

Koch Films acquired Sola Media, a Stuttgart, Germany-based television-and-film licenser for children and family properties, in August 2020.^[36][37] Later that month, Koch Media opened offices in Hong Kong and Tokyo, both headed by Kundratitz, to expand publishing operations in Southeast Asia.^[38]

In September 2020, Koch Media acquired Vertigo Games, who develops, publishes, and distributes games exclusively for virtual reality platforms, including zombie survival FPS Arizona Sunshine and action FPS After the Fall.^[39]

In November 2020, Koch Media acquired Flying Wild Hog.^[40]

In March 2021, Koch Media signed a €50 million co-publishing deal with Starbreeze Studios to finance the production, release, and post-launch support of co-op shooter Payday 3, with Starbreeze Studios retaining ownership of the IP.^[41]

Koch Media opened a new publishing division, Prime Matter, in June 2021, operating from its Munich headquarters.^[42]

Rebranding as Plaion

On 4 August 2022, Koch Media rebranded themselves as Plaion.^[43] In October 2022, Plaion Pictures acquired British anime distribution company Anime Limited for an undisclosed sum.^[44][45][46] In May 2023, Gamesindustry.biz learned of plans to dissolve Deep Silver, Ravenscourt and Prime Matter, and consolidate the publishing business under the "Plaion" label.^[47]

As of February 2018, Plaion is headquartered in Höfen, a municipality with a population of roughly 1,200 people that is located in Austria's Tyrol region and close to Bavaria, Germany.^[24][48] In Höfen, Plaion occupies an office complex in which the company employs 150 people in various departments.^[24][48] The property, as well as an adjacent 7,000 square metres (75,000 sq ft) plot, is owned by Embracer Group.^[24] In Planegg, a municipality in Bavaria that is located close to Munich, Plaion operates a subsidiary branch also called Plaion GmbH.^[48]

Divested subsidiaries

• List of Deep Silver games
• List of Prime Matter games
• List of Ravenscourt games

• Official website