The gambling company Aristocrat agreed to sell Plarium. The new owner of the company, which developed RAID: Shadow Legends, will be the Swedish media conglomerate Modern Times Group (MTG).
RAID: Shadow Legends
As explained by Aristocrat, it is selling Plarium due to a shift in business focus. The gambling company wants to concentrate on slot machines, social casinos, and real money gaming. Aristocrat noted that acquiring the creators of RAID: Shadow Legends at the time allowed it to diversify its portfolio, which was especially beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the developers no longer fit well into its updated strategy.
The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025. Under its terms, MTG will immediately pay Aristocrat $600 million, and in April 2026, will transfer another $20 million. Additionally, between 2025 and 2028, MTG is required to pay up to an additional $200 million—the exact amount will depend on Plarium's financial performance.
As calculated by MTG, in the last fiscal year (October 2023 - September 2024), Plarium generated approximately $613 million in revenue, with an adjusted EBITDA of $137 million. The media conglomerate expects that the deal will accelerate its growth and strengthen its market position.
The fact that Aristocrat was considering selling Plarium became known in May. At that time, the gambling company also mentioned that it might sell the developer and publisher of casual games Big Fish Games, but a final decision has not yet been made. It is only known that the Big Fish Social Casino division will definitely remain with Aristocrat.