Duesseldorf, January 13, 2022 – astragon Entertainment GmbH is pleased to announce that Team17Group plc, a global games label, creative partner and developer of independent (“indie”) premium video games and publisher, creative partner and developer of educational entertainment (“edutainment”) apps for children, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire astragon Entertainment GmbH for an initial cash consideration payable of €[75] million (£[63] million), with a further consideration of up to €[25] million (£[20] million).

Acquisition rationale & highlights

The Acquisition of astragon is in line with the Group’s existing growth strategy and, in the opinion of the directors of the Company, is expected to bring a number of benefits to the Group, including:

•    Enables Team17 to enter a new and complementary simulation game category, further strengthening Team17’s position as a provider of games entertainment to a broader audience.

•    Brings a strong back catalogue of evergreen owned franchises and IP with more than 20 games developed over the last 10 years and a solid pipeline of products in development.

•    Supported by Team17’s strategic partnerships, combined with consistent growth and commercialisation experience, astragon has the potential to build on its existing foundations and accelerate its current growth trajectory to achieve its ambition to become the global number one simulation portfolio brand for gaming.

•    The Acquisition accelerates Team17’s entry into content offering to consumers in the high-quality simulation space which the Group believes the demand for this kind of non-violent and cooperative entertainment games has accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

•    The Acquisition brings a specialist talented team to Team17, who will continue to operate and function as an independent vertical within the enlarged Group whilst also delivering cross collaboration opportunities given the core focus on creating and publishing games within their respective genre/fields.

•    The combination of both Team17 and astragon creates exciting commercial opportunities with a number of brands from other industries and media partners.

•    astragon is profitable and has demonstrated consistent profit growth of 45% EBITDA CAGR from 2017A – 2020A driven by strong organic revenue growth of 18% CAGR from 2017A – 2020A, which was generated from diversified revenue streams from its expertise in development, publishing and licensing. Audited results show astragon generated c. €26 million of revenue and €5.7 million of EBITDA for the year ended 31 December 2020 and had audited net assets of approximately €13.8 million as at 31 December 2020.

Julia Pfiffer and Tim Schmitz, CEOs of astragon Entertainment GmbH, commented:

“Team17 is the perfect home for astragon Entertainment GmbH as we enter into this exciting new chapter. From the first day we felt that Team17 shares the same vision for our games and understands our target group. Our goal is to become the number one brand in the field of ‘working’ simulation games. Collaborating with Team17 will enable and help astragon  to evolve and focus on this strategy. We look forward to the possibilities that are opened up by working with what we believe to be a great partner to deliver our ambitions.”

Debbie Bestwick MBE, CEO of Team17, commented:
“We are delighted to welcome the astragon team into Team17, and believe we are joining forces with one of the leading experts in the simulation games space. They have decades of game creation and publishing experience, have built an outstanding and highly devoted community and have developed an outstanding portfolio of owned IP across this genre.“

“At Team17, we have always strived to build, develop and publish great content for the widest audience possible.  With the addition of StoryToys and the expansion of our Games Label, which includes the recently acquired USA based ‘The Label’ and now astragon, we have significantly expanded Team17’s appeal to the widest ever cross section of gamers, spanning multiple genres and age groups.”

“We look forward to working closely with astragon’s joint CEOs Julia and Tim and their whole team who share our ambitions to grow their own IP titles on the path to developing a leading global simulation portfolio brand as part of the Team17 family.”

Source: astragon

<p>The post Team17 Group plc acquires astragon Entertainment first appeared on Simuway - Simulation Games, News, Mods, Simulator.</p>

Exciting firefighting simulation with thrilling multiplayer mode is coming to PC this November! 

Moenchengladbach/Germany, March 20, 2019 –

Düsseldorf/Germany, November 3, 2020 – While temperatures are rapidly dropping outside, it is promising to get hot on your PC very soon this fall!! Today, astragon Entertainment and Chronos Unterhaltungssoftware are happy to announce the release date of their exciting simulation game Firefighting Simulator – The Squad. The game, already eagerly awaited by firefighting enthusiasts, will come out in form of a digital download on Steam on November 17th, 2020. Players will get the opportunity to form a team of firefighters with up to 3 other players or AI colleagues and cooperate to fight different kinds of realistic fires in a large US city.

Firefighting Simulator – The Squad

• Available as a digital download on Steam starting on November 17, 2020
• Complex fire simulation including water, smoke, heat, backdrafts, flashovers, grease fires as well as a number of other causes of fire such as electronics, chemicals and explosions
• Co-op multiplayer mode for up to 4 players
• High replayability thanks to 30 different locations and a number of possible solutions to get rid of the fires – at day and at night.
• Officially licensed firefighting vehicles by Rosenbauer America
• Authentic US firefighter equipment by well-known brands
• Approximately 60km² / 15k acres large US city

In Firefighting Simulator – The Squad the players slip into the role of a US firefighter in order to join up with friends or AI-controlled team members to tackle gripping firefighting missions and face numerous, varied challenges, to save lives.

During firefighting operations, it is all about team play, since this is the only way to master the numerous dangers. Firefighting Simulator – The Squad provides a realistic representation of dynamically spreading fire including water, smoke, heat, backdrafts, flashovers, grease fires as well as a number of other causes of fire such as electronics, chemicals and explosions. Regardless if the team is called to attend minor fire situations or large-scale operations, e.g. a burning factory – in Firefighting Simulator – The Squad, utmost caution is always required and the team must be coordinated as efficiently as possible in order to get the fire under control and rescue any people that may still be trapped in it.

In addition to the realistic fire system, players can also be looking forward to operate officially licensed firefighting vehicles of the popular brand Rosenbauer America – such as the TP3 Pumper® or the T-Rex® Articulating Platform in Firefighting Simulator – The Squad. For even more realism there is also a number of officially licensed firefighter equipment such as boots, tools and the iconic firefighter helmets known from US fire departments.

Firefighting Simulator – The Squad for PC will be released as a digital download on Steam for 22.99 EUR / 24.99 USD / 20.99 GBP (RSP) on November 17, 2020.

Firefighting Simulator – The Squad on Steam:

Please visit us at:
Homepage:     http://www.firefighting-simulator.com
Facebook:     https://www.facebook.com/FirefightingSimulator
Twitter:    https://www.twitter.com/FirefightingSim
Instagram:    https://www.instagram.com/firefighting_simulator/

Firefighting Simulator lets you experience what it means to fight fires up close as an active part of a major US city’s firefighting team. Discover over 30 diverse deployment locations and complete exciting missions that span a 15k acres large townscape inspired by the North American Westcoast. Operate faithfully reproduced Rosenbauer America fire trucks, extinguish fires, and rescue civilians in need – together with up to three friends in the co-op multiplayer or with the help of AI team members in the single player mode.

Also at your disposal is authentic firefighting gear such as helmets, firefighter boots, and a breathing apparatus model by well-known North American firefighting equipment manufacturers.

Fire alert incoming!! What are you waiting for? Every minute counts! Pull on your boots, start the engine of your fire truck, turn on the lights and siren, and take the shortest route to the deployment location to fight the fire and save lives.

Whether in the industrial area, the suburbs, or downtown: Your city needs you!

Features

• The multiplayer co-op mode allows you to play in a team with up to three friends to save lives and, of course, fight fires. Within the team you are free to assume whichever role that suits you most.
• In single player mode, you will experience up close what it means to fight fires in a major US city as the leader of an experienced firefighting team. Thanks to the intuitive command UI, you take control of assigning tasks to your AI colleagues and jump right into the thick of the action yourself.
• Advanced fire simulation, including water, smoke, heat, back drafts, flashovers, grease fires, and a wide range of other causes of fires, such as electronics, chemicals, and explosions.
• A complex physics system ensures the realistic representation of the destruction caused by dynamically spreading fire.
• Drive five licensed Rosenbauer America fire trucks, such as the TP3® Pumper, or the T-Rex® hydraulic platform through a large US city – also in cockpit view.
• Use authentic equipment by well-known US firefighting industry brands, such as Cairns®, MSA G1® SCBA, and HAIX®.
• Great replay value thanks to 30 different deployment locations, each offering several ways to beat the fires, both day and night.
• Comprehensive tutorial, radio communications, and character recordings in English, as well as subtitles in several languages, and faithfully recreated engine sounds for an even denser atmosphere.
• A detailed 15k acres large US city with different districts, such as an industrial area, suburbs, and downtown.
• Supports standard steering wheels and gamepads
• A comprehensive tutorial takes you through the basics of fighting fires.

<p>The post Firefighting Simulator – The Squad will be released on November 17th! first appeared on Simuway - Simulation Games, News, Mods, Simulator.</p>