Koch Media GmbH, Höfen, indirect subsidiary of absolute property of THQ Nordic ABhas signed an agreement today to acquire Milestone srl, a developer and editor based in Milan, a leader in racing games with responsibility for titles such as MotoGP and Supercross. The acquisition includes the development study and all intellectual property rights.
THQ Nordic deals with the most important motocyclism titles
Landmark is a software company founded in 1994 under the name Graffiti. Since 1996, the family business, which has about 200 employees, is known as Milestone.
Over the years, Milestone has produced legendary racing games such as Screaming for Virgin, the saga Supercycle for Electronic Arts and the WRC for Black Bean to name a few. In 2011/12, Milestone started its own editorial business for licensed intellectual property and games from the MotoGP franchise. Prosperous growth, based on the experience of the Milestone teams, marked the beginning of the saga MXGP in 2013. The company launched its first franchise with RIDE in 2015, incorporating the official saga Monster Energy Supercross in 2018. The current product catalog is based on the three annual franchises of MotoGP, Supercross and MXGP as well as the annual launch of its own IP, RIDE. Three other unannounced intellectual property rights will be launched in 2021, giving the company the greatest growth with products with its own OG.
“Becoming part of the Koch Media family is an important step in our research. As we are run as a family business, based on enthusiasm from its team components and focused on racing games, we are excited to share our professional experience and knowledge with the business team. , and we strive to transfer this baggage and knowledge beyond our own DNA.We are convinced that the combination of our experiences will strengthen our position in our market segment and help us offer our followers more exciting games and expand the boundaries for racing games in the video industry. has confirmed Luisa BixioVice President of Milestone srl
Dr. Klemens KundratitzCEO of Koch Media GmbH added that: “We are pleased to welcome the Milestone team to the family. After a long relationship with distribution in some areas of Koch, I am confident that the combined knowledge of our companies will open up new and fascinating opportunities in the mainstay of the video game industry. I am fully convinced that the motivation and passion that drives the Milestone team and its tremendous value in the career segment are solid elements for future projects.Knowledge of fully licensed titles, stories like MotoGP and experience of running and developing their own licenses as RIDE, which is rooted in their own DNA-centered races, will help us expand our group catalog and strengthen our future ”.
Games and licenses in the hands of THQ Nordic
RIDE:
Ride is Milestone’s most successful IP and since 2015 the incarnation of the extreme motorcycle experience in video games. With a solid base of followers, the third delivery was launched in 2018, with more than 300 fully licensed motorcycles and thousands of accessories to customize. RIDE 4 will be launched in 2020 with a new neuronal artificial intelligence system and new vehicle classes.
MotoGP:
MotoGP is the longest running gaming franchise in Milestone’s history, starting in 2007. MotoGP19 has recently gained momentum and has been criticized as much by the press as by its own fans. The key to the game’s success is the IA system known as ANNA (Artificial Neuronal Network Agent), which starts the training of characters that cannot be judged and guarantees a unique gaming experience in each race. Implementing this new form of IA in video games is exclusive and offers unmatched Milestone success. MotoGP is a well-known franchise among eSports and attracts worldwide attention with more than 15,000 participants each year and major sponsors such as Michelin, BMW and Red Bull sponsoring the competitions.
MXGP:
MXGP is the world motocross championship with the official license from Youstream. The next delivery of the story of the franchise will be launched soon and will include new features such as a circuit editor and support for a complete customization of pilots and vehicles.
Supercross:
Monster Energy Supercross, licensed from Feld, is the most important motorcycle sport in the United States. With the two deliveries already launched, the franchise has sold more than a million copies, and Supercross 3 will be launched in early 2020. It will be the first Milestone game to be released on Google Stadium as well.
