Trophy Games acquires Airport Simulator: First Class developer Playrion from Paradox Interactive
Trophy Games acquires Playrion, developer of Airport Simulator: First Class, in a €2.25 million deal with a three-year earn-out, adding 30 staff and aiming to expand the simulation series.
Danish studio Trophy Games has completed its largest acquisition to date, purchasing Playrion from Paradox Interactive for €2.25 million upfront plus a three-year earn-out tied to revenue. The deal brings 30 Playrion employees into Trophy Games, marking a strategic expansion for the studio. Trophy Games CEO Søren Gleie highlighted Playrion’s competitive strengths and market alignment as key reasons for the purchase. The acquisition follows Trophy Games’ 2021 acquisition of Airline Manager 4, which established its growth model for simulation games.
Trophy Games plans to use Airport Simulator as the foundation for a new simulation game series, replicating its earlier success with Airline Manager. Gleie emphasized the proven market demand for Airport Simulator and the opportunity to build a franchise around it. The company cited its financial growth—more than quadrupling revenue in five years—as enabling larger acquisitions like Playrion. Trophy Games now projects 2026 revenue between €22.8 million and €24.1 million, up from its prior estimate of €20.1 million to €22.4 million.
Paradox Interactive, which acquired Playrion in 2020, described the transaction as aligning its focus on PC and console management games. Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester praised Playrion’s mobile development expertise and track record, noting satisfaction with the new owner’s commitment to the studio’s growth. The Paris-based studio, founded in 2010, specializes in simulation titles and will now operate under Trophy Games’ leadership.
Gleie framed the acquisition as a milestone that solidifies Trophy Games’ position for further expansion, with six games currently in development. He described Playrion as an ‘entirely new growth pillar’ for the studio, leveraging its existing market presence and development capabilities. The earn-out structure ties future payments to Playrion’s financial performance over three years.