Some layoffs expected from consolidation

Publisher holding company Plaion, (formerly ?known as Koch Media), is planning to consolidate several labels under one banner �Publishers Deep Silver, Ravenscourt, and Prime Matter are all to merge under the Plaion label.

Announced during a recent media presentation, Plaion notes that it hopes to see its companies produce fewer titles with higher overall quality. Deep Silver is perhaps best known for handling franchises such as Saints Row and Dead Island, while Ravensourt handles simulations and casual, family-friendly releases. Prime Matter is still in its infancy, having been founded in 2021.

Unfortunately, in a statement to GamesIndustry.biz, Plaion noted that it expects a handful of layoffs as part of the merger plans, but that the move is necessary in ord??er for the label to "simplify its publishing operations." The merger is expected to roll out over the next 12 to 24 months.

Plaion is restructuring, layoffs planned [GamesIndustry.biz]

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I'm hungry, let's get a taco

Publisher Prime Matter, in association with developers Starbreeze Studios and Overkill Software, have started off their 2023 with a bang �a block of C4, to be precise �with an update on the long-awaited multiplayer sequel Payday 3, which will be don??ning masks and raiding vaults later in 2023.

The studios released a short teaser video, debuting the shooter sequel's logo but sadly devoid of any actual in-game footage. Regardless, it was announced that Payday 3 would be launching on PC (via Steam) and unspecified console platforms later this year, in news that will no doubt cause a lot of itchy trigger fingers among veteran heisters. A new FAQ reveals that the title will be set in New York, and will see the return of gang members Dallas, Hoxton??, Chains, and Wolf.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugBDsaEIYog&?amp;ab_channel=OVERKILLSoft??ware

"There probably are a lot of questions about Payday 3 that you want to ask, and while we can’t answer all of them (yet!) we want to share a space where the community can talk about anything Payday 3 as we get closer to launch," said Starbreeze brand director Almir Listo in a new statement. "On that note, we’ve opened up the Steam Community Hub, so?? we can start using its discussion board. If you have a q?uestion you’ve been wondering about, ask it there and we’ll do our best to answer!"

"If you are new to Payday and the art of robbing banks and getting paid, we wish you a very special welcome! Any questions you might have, feel free to ask any of the veteran Payday heisters in the community or speak to us developers [...] it’s time to bring your old crew back together, and dust off your finest masks �because this is the year of Payday 3!"

It has been a long and turbulent road to the series' second sequel, hindered by a slew of financial and legal issues at Starbreeze Studios. A huge cash injection by Koch Media would ultimately allow production to continue, and this coming year will finally see Payday 3 hit the streets after its extremely troubled development cycle. It's hard not to see the title as a do-or-die situation for Starbreeze, so here's hoping that the final release will, ultima?tely, break the bank.

Payday 3 will launch in 2023 on PC (via Steam) and unspecified ??console platforms.

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The Crusaders embark for a new realm

Owlcat Games' Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is making the leap to consoles. The giant RPG ?will launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both physically and digitally on Sept. 29, as well as Ni?ntendo Switch via cloud.

Wrath of the Righteous will also be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, via backward compatibility. Once the console version launches, the Enhanced Edition of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous will become the standard version, and PC owners will all get that version for free on Sept. 29.

Owlcat has also announced that The Treasure of the Midnight Isles, the third DLC for this Pathfinder, launches on August 11. This new adventure heads to the Midnight Isles, where horrors and terrors abound. There's both a standalone rogue-like mode and campaign option available, allowing players to experiment with builds an?d party compositions if they'd like.?? Even if a party dies, its progress can help future playthroughs.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlJzR7vcmFs

The Treasure of the Midnight Isles will be available either as a separate purchase, or? as part of the season pass.

Many stories to tell

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is, by all accounts, a massive RPG. It's got a somewhat-daunting amount of content, not all too dissimilar from other isometric RPGs. But if you're looking for a console RPG to eat up your time, you could probably do worse. Impressions of the PC version seem mostly positive, and there's even mor?e on ?the way with the Midnight Isles DLC.

Owlcat, meanwhile, is also forging on to a new franchise. Last month's Warhammer Skulls festival showcase confirmed that Owlcat is creating a Warhammer 40K CRPG, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.

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The studio is teaming with Koch's Prime Matter to make it happen

For those who love new refreshes of old games, the System Shock remake has likel??y been on your radar for some time. Today, developer Nightdive Studios confirmed it's still happening, aiming for 2022, and they've got a new partnership to help bring it all together.

Nightdive is partnering with Prime Matter, Koch Media's new publishing label, for the release of the System Shock remake. In a Kickstarter update, Nightdive explained that the partnership will allow a simultaneous release of System Shock on PC and consoles. That includes PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xb?ox Series X|S.

Backers are still on track to receive their rewards and get access to a beta in early 2022. Nightdive also says that System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition is coming along, and the goal is still to launch it in the same window as the System Shock remake.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZWaCLBUCeA

System Shock has been through several demos and dates up to now, so some extra help from Prime Matter to get it across the finish line sounds like a good thing. Even looking back a few years, the remake was looking imp?ressive. Now, looking ahead to 2022, it'll be interesting to see how Nightdive's version of the 1994 c?lassic holds up.

System Shock and its sequel remain major entries in the immersive sim genre to this day, so hopefully ?efforts to bring it forward pan out. We'll see what Nightdive and Prime Matter are up to sometime next year.

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Take a Painkiller

Koch Media announced today that it is creating a new label under it for publishing games called Prime Matter. It will handle several anticipated releases, from ports and sequels to the return of Painkiller.

Under this new divi?sion, Koch Media says it's focused on a progressive, multi-label strategy, and that Prime Matter will allow it to offer "t??ailored partnerships" for each developer.

"Each developer is as unique as they are talented," said Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz. "We are delighted to have such a wide and varied creative range of ga??mes to offer from AAA to Triple Indie, from all corners of the globe."

The games showcased today show a bit of the range Prime Matter is aiming for, from new entries in established series to early glimpses of things to come. Alongside a new Painkiller arriving in conjunction with Saber Interactive, there's Starbreeze's Payday 3, Gungrave G.O.R.E. from IGGYMOB, King's Bounty 2 from 1C Entertainment, and several more pro?jects i??n development.

There's even a Switch port of Kingdom Come: Deliverance that's likely been anticipated for some time, and a number of legacy games at Koch—including Outward, Mount and Blade II: Bannerlords, and Warhorse Studios' next game—will be published u??nder the Prime Matter label.

We attended a preview of Prime Matter's future lineup and saw a number of upcoming games that will go under the l??abel. Here's the full rost??er:

• Payday 3 (Starbreeze Studios)
• Crossfire: Legion (Smilegate, Prime Matter)
• A new Painkiller (Saber Interactive)
• Scars Above (Mad Head Games)
• Codename Final Form (Reikon Games)
• Gungrave G.O.R.E. (IGGYMOB)
• Dolmen (Massive Work Studio)
• The Last Oricru (GoldKnights)
• Echoes Of The End (Myrkur Games)
• The Chant (Brass Token)
• Encased (Dark Crystal Games)
• King's Bounty 2 (1C Entertainment)
• Kingdom Come Del?iverance on Nintendo Switch (Warhorse Studios, Saber I?nteractive)

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