Klemens Kundratitz, the CEO and co-founder of Plaion (formerly known as Koch Media), will step down from his role after 31 years and take an advisory role with parent company Embracer Group.
Per a press release, Kundratitz has decided that it's time to "take a step back and spend more time with his family", and so he's handing over the CEO reins to Phil Rogers, an exec who's "leading the creation of the new Middle-earth & Friends operating unit".
In case you need a reminder, Middle-earth & Friends is one of the three companies into which Embracer Group will be splitting during this year, alongside tabletop division Asmodee and indie label Coffee Stain & Friends.
Kundratitz, who co-founded Plaion as Koch Media alongside Franz Koch back in 1994, says he's "delighted" to be handing over CEO duties to Rogers, and that he believes Rogers will continue Plaion's "excellent momentum".
For his part, Rogers says he's "excited" to start building Middle-earth & Friends as Plaion's new CEO, and that Kundratitz has built an "incredible legacy" over the course of his 31 years with the company.
Though you might not recognize Plaion's name, you'll probably know at least one of the publishing labels under its stewardship, namely Deep Silver, Ravenscourt, and Prime Matter.
Through Deep Silver, Plaion has published games like Payday 3, Dead Island 2, and Metro Exodus, while the Prime Matter label is responsible for the likes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance (whose developer Warhorse Studios is also a subsidiary of Plaion) and 2023's System Shock remake.
As for Kundratitz himself, while he's stepping back from CEO duties with Plaion, he's not leaving Embracer entirely. He'll now serve as a "strategic advisor" for the group, which, given its recent financial woes, I'm sure will be appreciated.
It's unlikely that Kundratitz's departure will have a material effect on Embracer or its companies from a public-facing perspective, but we'll have to wait and see whether anything changes as a result of this management shift. Stay tuned.
