THQ Nordic acquires Koch Media GmbH (including Deep Silver)

[dex3108]

THQ Nordic has entered into an agreement to acquire Koch Media GmbH, including, inter alia, the games developer and publisher Deep Silver with AAA-intellectual property rights such as Saints Row, Dead Island and exclusive licence for Metro.

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR WOULD REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR ANY OTHER MEASURES.

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THQ Nordic AB ("THQ Nordic" or the "Company") has, through its wholly owned subsidiary, SALEM einhundertste Holding GmbH, today entered into an agreement with the owner, Koch Media Holding GmbH (the "Seller"), of Koch Media GmbH ("Koch Media") to acquire 100 percent of the share capital in Koch Media. The total consideration amounts to EUR 121 million on a cash and debt free basis (the "Transaction").

Koch Media is a leading, independent producer and marketer of digital entertainment products in Europe and North America with studios in Germany, the UK, and the US, and offices in several Central and Northern European cities. Koch Media's business consists of three business areas; i) Games, which are mainly published under the Deep Silver label with several AAA-intellectual property rights such as Saints Row, Dead Island and Metro; ii) Partner Publishing, which is the leading company in this business area in Europe and iii) Film, which is a business within movies for primarily the German and Italian speaking territories. Koch Media generated net sales of approximately SEK 2,548 million and Adjusted EBIT[1] of approximately SEK 296 million for the period April - December 2017.

The new group generated pro forma net sales and Adjusted EBIT for the period April - December 2017 of SEK 2,933 million and SEK 505 million, respectively.

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http://news.cision.com/thq-nordic-ab/r/thq-nordic-acquires-koch-media-gmbh,c2452159

Big move for THQ Nordic and surprising to be honest. I wish them luck.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR WOULD REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR ANY OTHER MEASURES.

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We're all goin' to jail y'all.

 

[mocolostrocolos]

lol

 

[Bjoern]

Wow, Koch Media?
I'm not sure on this one but weren't Deep Silver part of Koch Media?

I didn't even know that THQ Nordic had that much money to be in a position to aquire another company.

Color me fucking surprised.

Edit: I'm stupid and should've read the whole thing first. Well, there it is. Deep Silver is part of THQ Nordic now.
That means THQ Nordic now has thethe publish rights for European releases of Atlus games, is this correct?

Edit 2: How can Koch Media be as cheap as 121 million?!?
Even Rare was more expensive back then and they were "only" a games developer, not a publisher of games and films.
My mind cannot comprehend this.

 

[Deleted member 5535]

Wow, that's what I'm reading? They acquired Koch Media in it's entirely along Deep Silver and it's studios? This is absolutely surprising, even more because it's THQ Nordic.

 

[sredgrin]

Wow they are stepping things the fuck up.

 

[Terbinator]

I'd have thought Koch were bigger than THQ Nordic?

 

[RoboitoAM]

Hopefully they do Saints Row 6 justice

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

Wow, THQ own Deep Silver?

...This is so surreal yet feels like it totally makes sense. Surprised it's not the other way around though.

Deep Silver bought some of THQ's series when they originally went under, ja? Full circle.

 

[daniel77733]

Holy shit!!! This is completely out there. Wow!!!

THQ Nordic has the opportunity to become a top five publisher for me now in 2018 after just a single year if Biomutant, Darksiders III and Metro Exodus release this year. Very nice. Looking forward to seeing how all of this plays out. And it's kind of funny that a few of those licenses are going back to "THQ". LOL.

 

[Patapuf]

I was not aware they had that much money.

 

[Calm Waterfall]

THQ Nordic expansion is a great thing. New SR game please.

 

[Deleted member 7462]

Wait, does that mean that the Saints Row and Red Faction IPs are back under the same control again, or does someone else own the Red Faction IP?

 

[kiriku]

Yeah, this is really big. Glad to be owning stocks in THQ Nordic, they keep delivering!

 

[Deleted member 11926]

Where did they get all that money? Next target: Deep Silver? Would be interesting to see another European publisher on the level of Ubisoft. (That also means an additional press conference at E3, lol)

 

[Cow]

Wut? Lol. How does this company have so much money? We are talking about a company that up until recently just released ports? What is the history here? Am I missing something? Does this mean they own deep silver?

 

[NyxKiria]

THQ Nordic is becoming a beast

Where did they get all that money? Next target: Deep Silver? Would be interesting to see another European publisher on the level of Ubisoft. (That also means an additional press conference at E3, lol)

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they own Deep Silver also now since Koch Media owned them

 

[Dartho]

Wait, does that mean that the Saints Row and Red Faction IPs are back under the same control again, or does someone else own the Red Faction IP?

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They had already owned Red Faction, so this just means Saints Row (and Metro) are back under the new THQ fold.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

x

 

[Pooroomoo]

As a Switch owner that's good news. Since THQ Nordic port everything they can to Switch as well, this means even more 3rd party games for Switch.

 

[HarryDemeanor]

THQ rides again!

 

[sredgrin]

I wonder if things were really bad at Koch. Deep Silver hasn't exactly been fielding many hits the past few years (and they likely overextended themselves like Nordic appears to be close to doing).

 

[Serene]

Huh. I had no idea THQ Nordic was that big.

 

[Deleted member 5535]

Where did they get all that money? Next target: Deep Silver? Would be interesting to see another European publisher on the level of Ubisoft. (That also means an additional press conference at E3, lol)

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Deep Silver is part of Koch Media so I believe that it's already bought

 

[NyxKiria]

 

[reptilescorpio]

This makes no sense, like this is the complete opposite of Nordic

 

[Deleted member 28076]

Well that's big.

So that's pretty much all the former THQ IPs under one roof again, right?

 

[Virtua Sanus]

Shenmue III published by THQ on PlayStation and PC.

Freaking weird world we live in.

 

[Deleted member 8593]

What the fuck. This is surreal.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

This is a big deal. I'd always assumed Koch Media were a considerably larger company. THQ Nordic stepping things up and wanting to join the big boys.

 

[MadLaughter]

They nearly quadrupled their headcount, holy shit.

 

[Coldman]

This means Volition could make a new Red Faction again, right?

 

[ShaiKhulud]

So, THQ-wannabe is more THQ now? Awesome. Please add some WH40k stuff to your portfolio and I'm totally buying your stuff.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

This makes no sense, like this is the complete opposite of Nordic

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Remember how THQ used to be a juggernaut.

History repeats.

 

[Mary Celeste]

what the fuck

 

[Deleted member 1781]

That's big. I think the latest games published by Deep Silver didn't perform well but and I was expecting Koch Media to sell them but not the whole company. I really hope THQ Nordiq to do well after all these acquisitions .

 

[Dinda]

wow, that is suprising to say the least. But maybe also not really, can easily imagine Koch did get problems after the disasters Homefront, the Dead Island 2 production and Agents of Mayhem. wish them luck, and please give me Saints Row 5 or better a reboot!

 

[Palculator]

That's one way to get Saints Row back.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Good news, and good for them.

Saints Row was THQ through and through, and it's just weird having it under Deep Silver

 

[reptilescorpio]

Remember how THQ used to be a juggernaut.

History repeats.

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Yeah pretty concerning. Going from a relatively lean company to a mammoth which is structured way different to Nordic. Hopefully it works out and they don't cut too many Koch staff. Considering the philosophies of the CEO I expect a big round of cuts and restructuring.

 

[rtv190]

holy shit, THQ isn't fucking around anymore.

 

[StrikeFirst117]

This is crazy to see happening I didn't think they had that much money spare to acquire more companies.
I guess they really are the new THQ now.

 

[708]

I thought Koch Media was bigger than THQ Nordic.
I'm glad since this means Metro won't use Denuvo :D

 

[MadeULook]

Well, this is certainly news I wasn't expecting to read tonight. That's quite a few of the old THQ IP's included also. Not sure if it's all of them but its definitely come full circle.

 

[rtv190]

Wow, Koch Media?
I'm not sure on this one but weren't Deep Silver part of Koch Media?

I didn't even know that THQ Nordic had that much money to be in a position to aquire another company.

Color me fucking surprised.

Edit: I'm stupid and should've read the whole thing first. Well, there it is. Deep Silver is part of THQ Nordic now.
That means THQ Nordic now has thethe publish rights for European releases of Atlus games, is this correct?

Edit 2: How can Koch Media be as cheap as 121 million?!?
Even Rare was more expensive back then and they were "only" a games developer, not a publisher of games and films.
My mind cannot comprehend this.

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They were so cheap because Koch and in turn Deep Silver have been in debt for a while now.

 

[Deleted member 5535]

Good news, and good for them.

Saints Row was THQ through and through, and it's just weird having it under Deep Silver

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THQ Nordic is THQ just in name and brand lol Deep Silver (ie Koch Media) bought these IPs from THQ and all.

 

[Horo]

that's... a surprise. Usually when Nordic buys stuff its either the parts of large publisher's that no'one else wanted (THQ), or smaller company's (Dreamcatchers, Jowood). Koch media/Deep silver feels very big for them.

 

[Turkoop]

Jesus
But how? Where has THQ Nordic found the money to aquire such a big studio? They haven't released any big titles yet

 

[Castamere]

Good. At one tine I thought Deep Silver would be the new Thq. They could have been, but gross mismanagement ruined that. Now Thq Nordic can be the new Thq.

 

[Sander VF]

THQ is legit coming back. It's a different company becoming THQ, but the effect is the same.

It's what would happen if the company wearing Atari's skin were to put in genuine effort.