Trophy Games Acquires Playrion, Boosts 2026 Outlook

Trophy Games announced the acquisition of Playrion from Paradox Interactive yesterday. The deal, the largest in the Danish publisher-developer's history, marks the culmination of a four-year pursuit of the Paris-based studio. Trophy Games CEO and founder Søren Gleie stated the company has tracked Playrion for four years, describing it as a major competitor and a very strong strategic match because both companies compete in the same market.

Following the acquisition, Trophy Games raised its 2026 revenue forecast to between €22.8 million and €24.1 million. The previous forecast was €20.1 million-€22.4 million. The deal includes an upfront payment of €2.25 million and a three-year earn-out based on net revenue performance. The new outlook includes Playrion’s expected contribution for a full quarter and continued performance from the team’s existing games. Trophy Games reported €8.9 million in cash and no interest-bearing debt at its half-year report, financing the deal through internal funds.

Financial impact and updated outlook

Trophy Games has more than quadrupled its revenue in five years. The Playrion acquisition is another step in its laid-out growth strategy. The company now has the capital to make larger acquisitions and is in a very good position for further growth. The updated financial forecast reflects confidence in the immediate contribution of the newly acquired studio.

Integration and growth plans

The acquisition adds 30 employees to Trophy Games. Playrion will continue to operate independently from Paris with its 30-person team but will gain access to Trophy Games' technology, capital, and development resources. The plan is to boost revenue from Playrion's current games through improved marketing. Gleie pointed to the company's successful approach with Airline Manager as a model. "We did this with Airline Manager and see the same opportunity in Airport Simulator," he said. If they repeat the model, Playrion can become an entirely new growth pillar.

Context within Trophy Games’ strategy

This move follows a proven blueprint. Trophy Games previously acquired Airline Manager 4 in 2021 and built it into a transport management series with six titles. That series now drives company growth. Gleie stated they have a recipe for taking a proven market game and building a series around it. The acquisition of Playrion, developer of aviation simulation games like Airlines Manager and Airport Simulator: First Class, fits this pattern. Trophy Games plans to develop a new series of simulation titles based on Airport Simulator.

For Paradox Interactive, the sale allows a refocus. The company had acquired Playrion in 2020. Fredrik Wester of Paradox Interactive remarked the transaction aligns its operations around developing and publishing strategy and management games primarily for PC and consoles. He described Playrion as a highly skilled mobile game developer with a strong track record and said they are happy to have found a committed owner for its growth. Trophy Games plans to launch six new games in the next year, its largest lineup so far, building on the expanded capacity from the Playrion acquisition.