Who bought Starbreeze Studios?

Who Bought Starbreeze Studios?

In January 2020, Italian publisher Digital Bros. announced its intention to acquire the Starbreeze assets from Smilegate for around $21.2 million. This significant deal marked a new chapter in the history of Starbreeze Studios, a Swedish video game developer known for its work on the Payday franchise.

Digital Bros.’ Acquisition

Digital Bros. is a parent company that owns Payday 2 publisher 505 Games. The acquisition of Starbreeze’s assets gives Digital Bros. control over the Payday franchise, which has been a major driver of Starbreeze’s growth. The deal involves 10.9 million B-shares in Starbreeze, equivalent to 4.3% of the entire company and 1.4% of voting rights.

History of Starbreeze Studios

Starbreeze Studios was founded in 1998 by a group of developers who had previously worked together at several Swedish game studios. The company started out as an independent developer and released its first game, "12 Minutes to Doom," in 2000. However, it was not until the release of "Payday: The Heist" in 2011 that the company gained significant recognition and attention.

Payday Franchise

The Payday franchise is a series of cooperative first-person shooter games developed by Overkill Software, a subsidiary of Starbreeze Studios. The series follows the story of a group of criminals as they plan and execute heists in various locations around the world. The franchise has become a cult classic and has a dedicated fan base.

Overkill’s Acquisition

In 2012, Starbreeze Studios acquired Overkill Software, the developer of the Payday franchise, for around $30 million. This acquisition gave Starbreeze control over the Payday franchise and cemented the company’s position as a major player in the video game industry.

Starbreeze Nebula

Starbreeze Studios is also using its customized player portal, rewards, authentication, and accounts system, called Starbreeze Nebula, to power its player account service. The goal is to provide more value to loyal players in a modernized way.

Table: Starbreeze Studios Acquisition

Significance of the Acquisition

The acquisition of Starbreeze’s assets by Digital Bros. has significant implications for the video game industry. Firstly, it marks a new era of cooperation between developers and publishers, where the boundaries between the two are increasingly blurred. Secondly, it highlights the growing importance of intellectual property in the gaming industry, with companies looking to acquire valuable franchises to drive growth.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Digital Bros. acquired Starbreeze Studios’ assets in January 2020, gaining control over the Payday franchise. The acquisition has significant implications for the video game industry, marking a new era of cooperation between developers and publishers.