Asmodee Group owner PAI Partners is in exclusive discussions to sell Asmodee to video game company Embracer Group, the companies announced.  A purchase price was not disclosed.  Private equity group PAI acquired Asmodee in October of 2018 for around $1.4 billion (see “Sale of Asmodee Group Closes”).

Embracer Group, headquartered in Sweden, owns eight operating groups in the businesses of developing and publishing PC, console and mobile games for the global games market: THQ Nordic GmbH, Koch Media GmbH/Deep Silver, Coffee Stain AB, Amplifier Game Invest, Saber Interactive, DECA Games, Gearbox Entertainment and Easybrain, with 86 internal game development studios and over 9,000 employees and contractors in over 40 countries.

Tabletop game publisher and distributor Asmodee Group, headquartered in France, sells games in over 50 countries, with a global workforce of over 2300 people.

Asmodee will continue to operate independently, with CEO Stephane Carville remaining in place as its head.  No reorganization driven by the contemplated transaction is anticipated. 

The companies are seeing potential for cross-fertilizing their IPs across both tabletop and video game platforms.  “The envisaged groups’ collaboration and joint forces would bring impact and scale around IPs, distribution, technology, game development and transmedia projects,” the announcement said.  The combined entity will be Europe’s largest gaming group, according to the announcement.