A recent report claims Plaion is restructuring the game publishing business, cutting jobs and merging Deep Silver, Prime Matter, and Ravenscourt.
A report out of GamesIndustry.biz claims Plaion, the parent company of Deep Silver, is set to restructure its game publishing business, which will result in job cuts and the merger of several brands. The move comes as the company aims to produce fewer titles of higher quality. The restructuring process will reportedly lead to the dissolution of Deep Silver, Prime Matter, and Ravenscourt, with future games published under the Plaion brand instead.
An internal presentation slide obtained by GamesIndustry.biz revealed the company’s plan to consolidate its publishing labels. A representative from Plaion confirmed the restructuring, emphasizing that it is part of an effort to simplify its publishing operations. The representative noted that the changes would affect only around five to six jobs out of the company’s 2,000 employees.
The restructuring is not expected to take effect immediately, with the transition period lasting up to twelve months. Games may still be published under the Deep Silver, Prime Matter, and Ravenscourt labels during this time. Plaion’s spokesperson also clarified to GamesIndustry.biz that the restructuring is unrelated to Embracer Group’s ongoing business review.
Plaion, formerly known as Koch Media, rebranded in August 2022. Deep Silver is well-known for publishing popular games such as Dead Island 2 and Saints Row, while Ravenscourt, founded in 2014, is best known for Road 96. Prime Matter, established in 2021, is set to publish games like Payday 3 and the System Shock remake.
Under the new structure, Plaion’s publishing operations for the three merged brands will focus on four main pillars: Games Portfolio and Business, Publishing Services, Global Sales & Marketing, and Distribution Partnership. It remains unclear how the company’s other two brands, Milestone and Vertigo Games, will be affected.
Embracer Group acquired Koch Media in 2018 and has spent billions of dollars on dozens of acquisitions over the past six years. As of its 2022 annual report, Embracer owned 118 studios across 10 operative groups, including Plaion and THQ Nordic, with a total headcount of 12,760 people.
CGMagazine has reached out to Plaion for comment.
