Starbreeze to acquire Payday 3 publishing rights from Embracer subsidiary Plaion

Starbreeze has agreed to absolutely acquire the publishing rights for Payday 3 from Plaion to “pursue broader strategic alternatives” for the embattled franchise.

Payday 3 gross sales decreased dramatically over the last fiscal yr—tumbling to $7.7 million in FY2024 from $44.5 million in FY2023.

Starbreeze conceded the title was massively underperforming inside months of its September 2023 launch, and embarked upon a rehabilitation program it claims is now effectively underway.

Massive adjustments at Starbreeze enabled the Payday 3 deal

With the threequel and its wider enterprise flagging, Starbeeze ousted then-CEO Tobias Sjogren to appoint a brand new chief able to executing a technique “centered round creating engaging video games on our personal and licensed IPs.” EA veteran Adolf Kristjansson stepped into the vacant management position again in March.

Now, the corporate has reached a mutual settlement with Embracer subsidiary Plaion that can enable it to assume full publishing duty for Payday 3. “This [deal] will allow Starbreeze to speed up content material growth and pursue broader enterprise alternatives for the Payday franchise as a complete,” reads an investor replace.

“Whereas this settlement marks the conclusion of the present publishing association, it additionally lays the groundwork for a long-term partnership between Starbreeze and Plaion on future Payday franchise initiatives.”

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Starbreeze has issued new shares representing 10 % of its excellent share capital to finance the transaction.

The directed share concern quantities of a complete of roughly SEK 33 million ($3.45 million) earlier than transaction prices, that are estimated to be round SEK 250,000. SEK 29 million of the proceeds can even be used to repay Plaion and settle sure excellent claims underneath the earlier settlement relating to Payday 3.