Saints Row, Metro, Dead Island Publisher Koch Media Acquired By THQ Nordic

THQ Nordic, the Austria-based company currently in possession of the Darksiders, Red Faction, and de Blob properties, has acquired Koch Media, the parent company of Dead Island, Saints Row, and Metro publisher Deep Silver. The deal, which is set for approval later today, was worth €121 million (approximately $149 million).

The acquisition means that THQ Nordic now owns all of Koch Media's assets, which includes its studios, intellectual properties, and licenses, such as the Metro game series. Koch Media's business also includes films, which are created "primarily for German and Italian speaking territories."

Noteworthy studios that are part of the acquisition include Volition, which is responsible for the Saints Row series; Dambuster, which is behind Homefront; and Fishlabs Entertainment, known for the Galaxy on Fire series.

"I strongly believe that THQ Nordic is a great strategic fit with Koch Media," said Klemens Kundratitz, Koch Media CEO, who will continue in his role as chief executive. "In addition to having long experience within games development and publishing, THQ Nordic has the skills, willingness and capital to deliver growth in the future."

Lars Wingefors, CEO THQ Nordic, indicated that Koch's studios will continue to operate as normal, with both Volition and Dambuster working on new, unannounced AAA games, in addition to 4A's Metro Exodus.

"Koch Media has a long history of profitability despite losses incurred from some less successful game releases," he said. "THQ Nordic is convinced that the development studios of Deep Silver as part of THQ Nordic will successfully deliver at least four ongoing AAA game projects including Metro Exodus as well as the next Volition Studio AAA release and the next Dambuster Studio AAA release, together with a number of other game development and publishing titles."

Last year THQ Nordic announced Biomutant, a third-person action game set in a fantasy universe. It is also has Darksiders 3 in the pipeline, which is being developed by Gunfire Games, a studio made up of many ex-Vigil Games employees, all of which worked on the original Darksiders and its sequel.