Trophy Games buys Airport Simulator maker Playrion from Paradox
Mobile simulation studio Trophy Games has bought Paris-based Playrion from Paradox Interactive for €2.25m upfront, its largest acquisition so far.
Trophy Games has bought French developer Playrion from Paradox Interactive for €2.25 million (about $2.6 million) upfront. Further earnouts linked to revenue could be paid over three years. The deal closed on 30 September 2026 and is Trophy Games' largest acquisition so far.
About Playrion
Based in Paris, Playrion makes aviation simulation and management games, including Airlines Manager and Airport Simulator: First Class. The studio has around 30 staff and generates about €4 million in revenue a year. It will stay in Paris and will be able to use Trophy Games' marketing, data, technology and development resources.
The plan
Trophy Games wants to use the technology behind Airport Simulator as the basis for a wider series of simulation games. It has done something similar before, growing Airline Manager 4 into a series of six transport management games.
Founder Søren Gleie said the company had followed Playrion for four years and knew its games and market well. He added that the aim is to build a new series of simulation games and a new platform for growth.
Why it matters
The deal is small, but it shows a common pattern in mobile: a focused publisher buying a niche studio with a loyal audience and then spinning its tech off into related games. For small developers, a well-built core game in a niche genre can become the start of a whole series.
Source: PocketGamer.biz
