Hey allihopa! THQ Nordic übernimmt Koch Media

In February 2018, the Swedish publisher THQ Nordic announced the acquisition of the German-Austrian distributor Koch Media for 121 million euros. This strategic move integrated Koch Media’s diverse portfolio—spanning games, film, and software—into the THQ Nordic corporate structure. Despite the change in ownership, the companies confirmed that central operations would remain in their established locations, specifically maintaining the THQ Nordic GmbH headquarters in Vienna and the Koch Media/Deep Silver facilities in Planegg, near Munich.

The acquisition carried significant implications for the Hamburg game development scene, as the local studio Deep Silver Fishlabs, known for the Galaxy on Fire series, became a subsidiary of the Swedish parent company. This transaction highlighted a broader trend of international investment in the German games market, particularly within Hamburg. At the time, several other prominent Hamburg-based studios were already under Swedish ownership or investment, including InnoGames, which maintained a 35% stake held by the Modern Times Group, and Goodgame Studios, which operated as part of the Stockholm-based Stillfront Group.

The consolidation reflects a period of increased cross-border activity within the European gaming industry, where Swedish firms actively expanded their footprint by acquiring established German development talent. By integrating these regional studios into larger, international publishing networks, the industry saw a shift toward centralized management while preserving the operational autonomy of the acquired development teams.