Trophy Games acquires Airport Simulator: First Class developer Playrion from Paradox Interactive

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Danish publisher-developer Trophy Games has acquired Playrion, the Paris-based studio behind Airport Simulator: First Class, from Paradox Interactive. The deal includes a €2.25 million upfront payment and a three-year earn-out tied to net revenue performance, and brings Playrion’s 30 employees into Trophy’s organization.

For developers, the interesting part is the strategy: Trophy says it wants to use Airport Simulator as the foundation for a new simulation franchise, much like it did with Airline Manager 4 after a 2021 acquisition. That suggests a familiar playbook of buying a proven game, then extending it into a broader content and live-ops pipeline rather than starting from scratch.

Paradox framed the sale as part of a broader focus on strategy and management games for PC and console, while noting Playrion’s mobile expertise and growth potential under new ownership. Trophy, meanwhile, says it now has six games in development and is in a stronger position for further expansion.

The acquisition also changes the numbers: Trophy has raised its 2026 revenue forecast to €22.8 million-€24.1 million, up from €20.1 million-€22.4 million. Playrion was originally acquired by Paradox in 2020 and was founded in 2010, so this is another sign of how mid-sized studios are being reshuffled around platform focus and franchise-building potential.