Chris Kerr, News EditorJanuary 8, 20251 Min ReadImage via PlaionPlaion co-founder and CEO, Klemens Kundratitz, is stepping down and will transfer leadership of the Embracer-owned company to Phil Rogers.Kundratitz has been with Plaion (formerly known as Koch Media) for 31 years. He founded the company in 1994 to distribute software in Germany, Austria, and the UK.Since then, Plaion has grown into a global venture specializing in game development, worldwide publishing, and distribution. It currently has over 2000 employees in 15 countries and was acquired by Embracer in 2018.The company is perhaps best known in the game industry for working on franchises such as Metro, Dead Island, and Kingdom Come.Kundratitz's successor holds several roles across Embracer Group and was recently asked to lead creation within the newly-formed 'Middle-earth & Friends' operating unitwhich was established following a spate of mass layoffs, studio closures, and project cancellations."I'm delighted to be handing over my CEO duties to Phil. I know he will do an outstanding job, as he has the perfect leadership and vision to build out Middle-earth & Friends, continuing Plaion's excellent momentum," said Kundratitz."It has been an absolute pleasure to build this company, and I am honored and thankful to have worked with our fantastic teams worldwide. I could not have asked for a more exciting and rewarding role in the entertainment industry and I am proud of what we have achieved together.Although Kundratitz will be stepping down at CEO, he'll begin a new tenure at Embracer as a strategic advisor starting in April 2025.Rogers praised his predecessor and described Plaion as a "cornerstone of the European entertainment industry.""I am excited to begin working closely with Plaion's leadership team as we create our new business unit Middle-earth & Friends," he added.Read more about:Embracer GroupAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like