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Asmodee Is Cut Loose, Piatnik Gains Ties with AMIGO, and No Pun Included Explores Arousal

Asmodee Is Cut Loose, Piatnik Gains Ties with AMIGO, and No Pun Included Explores Arousal


by W. Eric Martin

▪️ As noted in April 2024, Asmodee‘s parent company — Embracer Group — decided to split the overall company of eleven operative groups into three separate companies: one that focuses on indie and A/AA premium and free-to-play games for PC/console and mobile, another that focuses on AAA game development and publishing for PC and console, in addition to being the stewards of The Lord of the Rings and Tomb Raider intellectual properties, and Asmodee.

Asmodee’s separation becomes effective February 7, 2025, as described in a January 27, 2025 press release on the Embracer Group website:

On 7 January 2025, the Extra General Meeting of Embracer Group AB (“Embracer”) resolved to distribute all shares of Asmodee Group AB (“Asmodee”) to the shareholders of Embracer (the “Distribution”). The Board of Directors of Embracer has set the record date of the Distribution to 5 February 2025. On 8 January 2025, the Listing Committee of Nasdaq Stockholm approved Asmodee’s listing application for the admission to trading of its class B shares on Nasdaq Stockholm. Trading in the class B shares is expected to commence on 7 February 2025.

“By becoming a standalone listed company, Asmodee’s 30-year journey is entering its next phase. Over the years, we have become a global leader in tabletop games, combining renowned games and intellectual properties with our global distribution footprint to serve both our own games and those of our partners. We, and the entire industry, live in very exciting times. Tabletop games have demonstrated that they’re an integral part of the social fabric, bringing people together, from which arise tremendous opportunities for Asmodee to continue to grow in its core business and to continue to explore the extension of our brands into other forms of entertainment. I couldn’t be prouder of Asmodee and our teams as we enter this new era of our long-term profitable growth journey with our listing”, says Thomas Kœgler, CEO of Asmodee.

“This marks an important milestone for Embracer shareholders. We now very much look forward to establishing Asmodee as a standalone listed company and further strengthen it as a market leader in tabletop gaming”, says Lars Wingefors, Chairman of the Board of Asmodee.


Interestingly, Asmodee’s Q3 sales report for its 2024/25 fiscal year will be published on February 12, 2025, five days after trading in its shares opens. To give folks a head’s up on that report, on January 29, 2025, Embracer Group published a “Q3 trading update” report for the Asmodee group. (Asmodee’s fiscal year runs from April to March, so Q3 covers the months of October through December.) Some excerpts:

• Net sales for Asmodee is expected to amount to approximately EUR 429 million for the three-month period ended 31 December 2024 (385 in the corresponding period in the previous year), representing an increase of approximately 11 percent between the periods, with an underlying organic growth rate of approximately 13 percent. During the three-month period ended 31 December 2024, games published by Asmodee studios is expected to grow by approximately 29 percent compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, mainly driven by several releases based on third party IPs, thereby adding several titles compared to the previous period. During the period, games published by partners is expected to grow by approximately 5 percent compared to the previous period.

• Adjusted EBITDA is expected to increase by approximately 12 percent to EUR 89 million (80) in the three-month period ended 31 December 2024, corresponding to a margin of 20.8 percent (20.7). Adjusted EBIT during the same period is expected to increase by approximately 15 percent to EUR 83 million (71), corresponding to a margin of 19.3 percent (18.5).

• Free cash flow after tax and capitalized lease payments is expected to amount to approximately EUR 72 million in the three-month period ended 31 December 2024.

“We delivered strong sales and profit growth during the third quarter, an important and seasonally strong period. The growth was largely driven by new releases published by Asmodee based on third-party IPs such as LEGO Monkey Palace, Star Wars: Unlimited, and The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth. These games and others positively contributed to margins through a favorable product mix, albeit with somewhat elevated royalty and marketing costs.” says CEO Thomas Kœgler.


▪️ In other Asmodee news, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/7063/moose-games“>Moose Toys has entered into a sales partnership with Asmodee Deutschland for distribution of its games within Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as of Q2 2025.

▪️ Similarly, the U.S. branch of AMIGO games will start distributing titles from Austria-based Piatnik in the U.S. and Canada in 2025. AMIGO will start by distributing six titles: Double Donkey, Zero Hero, Boo to the Goose, Jinks, Zookini, and Matchstix, all of which carry a US$13 MSRP. From the press release:

“Piatnik has a 200-year history of publishing games that align closely with AMIGO’s core values,” stated Alex Yeager, AMIGO games COO. “This initial phase will allow us to work with our partners to determine the best mix of products to promote to North America.”

Six titles will be made available in limited quantities through Amazon in the U.S. and through Asmodee Canada (formerly Lion Rampant) in Canada. Based on data collected from this phase, games will be rolled out to the wider U.S. market later in the year.


▪️ To expand on the above paragraph, Asmodee purchased Lion Rampant Imports in 2019, and in mid-January 2025 Asmodee Canada fully merged with Lion Rampant Imports. From the press release:

“Keeping the two entities separate for a few years made sense from a brand perspective,” said Jayson Pickford, Country Manager and CEO for Asmodee Canada. “Both companies had strong individual identities that we felt would be best leveraged separately, but now it’s time to maximize efficiencies and create a smoother process for our retail and vendor partners”, he adds. “By fully merging Asmodee Canada and Lion Rampant Imports, we will create a stronger combined company, increasing synergies, and delivering more value to stakeholders. We’re taking the best of both businesses and combining them into one.”



Someone please release a business game called Maximize Efficiencies.

▪️ And speaking of “maximizing efficiencies”, I recommend watching this No Pun Included video on the topic of unopened board games and arousal:

Youtube Video



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