Focus Reorganises Company Under New Umbrella Brand PulluP Entertainment

Focus Entertainment is reorganizing its corporate structure. First, Fabrice Larue, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, has appointed Geoffroy Sardin as the new Deputy CEO for all business operations. Sardin spent 25 years at Ubisoft Entertainment, serving in roles including SVP of Executive Publishing and SVP of Sales & Marketing. On January 18, 2024, the Board of Directors decided to restructure the group to usher in a transformative phase focused on three complementary areas of activity: publishing, indie publishing, and studios.

First, the traditional publishing business will be spun off from the group. This division will be renamed “Focus Entertainment Publishing” on April 1, 2024, and will be led by John Bert, Deputy Managing Director. The second division will focus on the publication of indie games and retro gaming. It consists of Dotemu and The Arcade Crew. Cyrille Imbert, CEO of Dotemu and Deputy Managing Director, will head this division. The third division is called “Studios” and will encompass the group’s seven studios: Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio.

The three business divisions are to be consolidated under a new umbrella brand, “PulluP Entertainment,” effective April 1, 2024. The new structure aims to accelerate organic growth, profitability, and cash flow generation across the three core businesses. The appointment of a new independent director, Didier Crespel, will also be proposed at the Annual General Meeting. Crespel is the majority shareholder of Mecamen and also brings directorial experience from Ubisoft.

“In my capacity as the chairman and chief executive officer and a leading shareholder, supported by an expanded management team, I fully support Focus Entertainment’s long-term strategy," the company's chair and CEO Fabrice Larue says. "The new organisation comprising three divisions aims to structure the Group so that it can successfully pursue a trajectory that enables it to achieve its growth and profitability ambitions."

In the first nine months of fiscal year 2023/24, Focus Entertainment reported total revenue of 128.3 million euros, a 9 percent decline compared to the previous year. Revenue in the third quarter, from October through December 2023, amounted to 43.3 million euros, a 43 percent decline; however, management had already anticipated this, as there were no “major” releases during that period, whereas the previous year saw the launch of “A Plague Tale: Requiem” and “Evil West.” Focus describes the current fiscal year as a transitional year, during which the back catalog in particular delivered solid results—with revenue of 29.5 million euros, 45 percent more than the previous year. The company highlights “Insurgency: Sandstorm,” “A Plague Tale: Requiem,” “SnowRunner,” and “Atomic Heart,” as well as the releases of “My Time at Sandrock,” “Train Sim World 4,” and “Chants of Sennaar.”

For the first time, revenue includes the activities of the newly founded audiovisual production platform Scripteam. Comparable revenue, excluding contributions from Dovetail and Scripteam, amounted to 35.1 million euros. 84 percent of sales were generated through digital partners. International sales accounted for 95 percent of total revenue in the third quarter.

In the current quarter, the company will release “Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden” and “Expeditions: A MudRunner Game.” According to the publisher, both titles have great potential. In the upcoming 2024/25 fiscal year, which begins on April 1, 2024, Focus Entertainment will release an enhanced version of “Atlas Fallen” by Deck13 and provide regular content updates for “Expeditions: A MudRunner Game,” “Void Crew,” and “Atomic Heart.” On September 9, 2024, Focus will then release “Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2” from Saber Interactive. “Metal Slug Tactics,” “John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando,” and other titles from Dovetail are also planned.