For years Koch Media have had their grip on the gaming industry continually strengthened, with the company helping a host of studios push many a product out to market. Now though they are looking to tighten that grip with the unveiling of a brand new premium gaming label, one that just so happens to be delivering a host of brilliant new games under its wing. Welcome, Prime Matter. And Payday 3. And Gungrave. And The Last Oricru. And Scars Above. And a ton more!
Prime Matter is a new premium gaming label from Koch Media, with it fully dedicated to delivering immersive games from studios all across the world. This has come about due to Koch Media fast becoming one of the go-to publishing services for developers both big and small, all across the globe. By expanding their label portfolio to meet the ever growing demands and opportunities across an ever more diverse audience, a whole new range of games can come to market.
We’ve recently been invited to sit in on a presentation from the Koch Media team, covering not just the arrival of Prime Matter as a new label, but what they are capable of running in terms of a rich portfolio of new titles and genres. What is being promised is stupidly exciting.
Prime Matter will be found working out of Koch Media HQ in Munich,, bringing together a mix of seasoned industry veterans and enthusiastic fresh faces in the hope that they can create an incredible team of diverse multi-cultured gaming experts. All headed up by industry stalwart Mario Gerhold, it’s Prime Matter which will lead the way through creativity, expression and passion, with games that will grip and enchant with enthralling story-telling, winning an audience with its incredible moments and larger-than-life experiences.
“Prime Matter is a new home for premium games, offering both current and future partners all the expertise of the Koch Media Group alongside a new and dynamic team dedicated to maximising their true potential,” said Koch Media’s CEO Klemens Kundratitz. “The core of the video games industry is, of course, entertainment. Prime Matter will constantly look to innovate and inspire gamers across all its activities while retaining the fundamental values of what makes our industry so special; it is intrinsically fun.“ he added.
But enough of the business angle, how does this move to Prime Matter cover the game bases? Well, there are, frankly, a host of new and exciting games on the table, with new IPs, old IPs and pretty much a covering of everything that a gamer could want. The headline act, at least in our eyes, is the announcement of Payday 3, but then we’ve also got a new Painkiller title, the dark sci-fi of Scars Above, some RTS goodies in Crossfire: Legion and the madness of Gungrave G.O.R.E. all upcoming.
There are further new IPs though, and Prime Matter will be behind the likes of Dolmen, the absolutely fantastic looking The Last Oricru, Encased, The Chant and Echoes of the End; a game that comes from an Icelandic team, promising to deliver some high quality story driven single player action.
In all, detailed for Prime Matter so far are:
- Payday 3 (2023) – by Starbreeze Studios (Sweden) – the latest upcoming instalment in this high-octane first person co-op shooter game, set in a Hollywood like environment, that lets players live out the fantasy of being a world-class career criminal, who joins the legendary PAYDAY gang and master the art of heisting
- Crossfire: Legion (2022) – Smilegate and Prime Matter are teaming to up to release Canadian developer Blackbird Interactive’s RTS game Crossfire: Legion. The world of Crossfire provides the perfect scenario and backdrop for an RTS thanks to its unique approach to futuristic global warfare and warring factions
- The new Painkiller game (Release TBC) – The legendary Painkiller is back! Keep your eyes open for more info coming soon!
- Kings Bounty 2 (24th Aug 2021) – Developed by 1C Entertainment (Russia) King’s Bounty II will the RPG successor of the well-known franchise which defined the RPG strategy world back in the days
- (New IP) Scars Above (2022) – by Mad Head Games (Serbia) is a dark sci-fi action adventure that sees a lone protagonist having to survive on a hostile nightmare world
- (New IP) Codename Final Form (Release TBC) (working title) – from Polish developers Reikon Games is an adrenaline fuelled futuristic FPS with the player taking on the role of a cybernetic Valkyrie saving humanity from extinction
- Gungrave G.O.R.E (2022) – is a stylish third-person action shooter by South-Korean Studio IGGYMOB, that has you take on the role of Grave, a gunslinger of resurrection and badass anti-hero of your dreams, mowing down tons of enemies in a gory ballet of bullets.
- (New IP) Dolmen (2022) – Developed by Brazilian Massive Work Studio. DOLMEN is a terrifying new Action RPG that combines futuristic Sci-Fi and Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror
- (New IP) The Last Oricru (2022) –From the minds of developers GoldKnights (Czech Republic), comes The Last Oricru a third-person action RPG taking place in a unique middle age setting, combined with sci-fi elements
- (New IP) Echoes Of The End (Release TBC) (working title) – developed by Icelandic studio Myrkur Games – a story-driven singleplayer Action-Adventure in a unique fantasy world, following the story of Ryn who is in search of her real purpose
- (New IP) The Chant (2022) (working title) – Developed by Canadian Studio Brass Token their upcoming psychological thriller is an atmospheric 3rd person psychedelic horror adventure
- (New IP) Encased (Sept 21) – from Russian developer Dark Crystal Games, a classic RPG where the player is on a mission to discover the secrets of an alien civilisation
- Officially coming to Nintendo Switch Kingdome Come Deliverance by Warhorse Studios (Czech Republic) in collaboration with Saber Interactive.
But that’s not all that Koch Media and Prime Matter have in store for gamers as a number of legacy games will also arrive; stuff like Warhorse Studios new game, Nine Dots Studio’s (Canada) Outward coming for Gen 9 consoles, and Taleworlds’ (Turkey) Mount and Blade II: Bannerlords also coming to consoles.
“Games originate from the minds and hearts of the developers. Prime Matter is focused on maximising this potential from the studios whilst empowering their dream or vision; one of our core values is to enable and support the studios, giving them the chance and freedom to express themselves within their game as they deserve.” said Mario Gerhold, Global Brand & Marketing Director (Games) Koch Media Group. “Some of the most treasured I.Ps in our industry started out as crowdfunded, or projects outside the mainstream that the developers truly believe in… history has proved that inspiration and talent is not defined by stereotypes” he added.
Whilst many may not give a damn who and what are behind the games that are ultimately delivered to their consoles, for others, it’s all about the finer detail. And that detail now means that the Koch Media Group is now present and correct, hosting no less than five different publishing strands: Prime Matter, HQ Munich (Germany), Deep Silver, HQ Reading (England), Milestone, HQ Milan (Italy), Vertigo, HQ Rotterdam, (Netherlands), and Ravenscourt, HQ Munich (Germany)
“Over the past 25 years of success, we have seen Koch Media grow significantly,” said Mr Kundratitz “From ambitious indies taking their first step who need that full development and publishing support without compromising their dream, through to big studios that required our well established global distribution and publishing network; the more opportunities we created the more it made sense to add an additional string to our bow,” he added
The future is bright for Koch Media, for Prime Matter, and for gamers as a host of stunning titles prepare to arrive on console and PC in the months and years ahead.
Huge thanks go out to the Koch Media team for inviting us in to their Prime Matter unveiling presentation, giving a first brief look at the titles on offer. We’ll be sure to follow this piece with individual articles covering all of the games as and when further details drop.
