In February of last year, the Swedish mobile entertainment conglomerate Modern Times Group (MTG) completed a high‑profile purchase of Plarium, the studio behind the blockbuster hero‑collection title Raid: Shadow Legends, for roughly $620 million. That transaction, while already a massive milestone, appears to be only the opening move in a broader expansion playbook, according to MTG’s president and chief executive officer, Maria Redin. Redin told GamesIndustry.biz that the acquisition was made with a clear, ambitious target in mind: “After bringing Plarium into the fold, we set a vision to double the size of MTG again.” She emphasized that organic growth remains a priority, but that scaling to the desired level will require “more acquisitions” to fuel that momentum. The timeline she outlined is aggressive—aiming to achieve the doubling within a three‑to‑five‑year window.
Redin noted that MTG has already demonstrated the capacity to meet lofty goals, pointing to the company’s 2021 ambition, which resulted in a tripling of its scale. The mobile gaming sector, once characterized by double‑digit expansion, has settled into a single‑digit growth rhythm as the market matures. What was once a blue‑ocean of untapped users has turned into a highly competitive, red‑filled arena where gaining market share often means either out‑performing rivals or absorbing them outright. While buying companies can be straightforward, the real challenge lies in integrating those acquisitions without disrupting existing operations—a pitfall that has led many studios to shutter after poorly managed mergers.
MTG entered the acquisition phase already possessing a portfolio of notable mobile studios: InnoGames (known for Forge of Empires), Snowprint (creator of Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus), Hutch (developer of F1 Clash), Ninja Kiwi (behind Bloons TD 6), and Futureplay (maker of Merge Gardens). Historically, these studios were grouped into two “districts”: the Casual District and the Midcore District—the latter covering games that sit between purely casual experiences and hardcore titles. As part of a recent rebranding effort, these districts have been renamed Playsimple and Playamp, respectively. Playsimple, named after the India‑based WordTrip studio, focuses on free‑to‑play, ad‑supported games, while Playamp houses the majority of MTG’s revenue‑generating titles that rely on in‑app purchases (IAPs).
Redin explained that the rebranding is more than a cosmetic change; it is intended to forge “one of the leading gaming villages.” The term “village” is deliberately chosen to evoke a sense of community and belonging, aiming to boost employee retention and smooth the integration of newly acquired teams. She highlighted the importance of nurturing talent, stating, “Gaming is the best marriage of creativity and data‑driven decisions. People are our biggest asset, but they need an environment where they can thrive.” Consequently, MTG’s acquisition strategy is not just about buying assets but also about keeping founders and development teams on board after the deal closes, allowing the “real exciting story” to unfold as the businesses scale.
A key pillar of MTG’s post‑Plarium strategy is the standardisation of technology and tools across its portfolio. Redin noted that while the company has long pursued a unified tech stack, the scale achieved after the Plarium acquisition finally made it possible to roll out this vision comprehensively.
She cautioned, however, that a one‑size‑fits‑all approach is not suitable for both districts. “Playsimple’s tech stack will serve as the foundation for future casual studios, whereas for Midcore we are selectively adopting parts of Plarium’s suite,” she said. This selective rollout is guided by a thorough internal assessment that identifies where shared tools add value and where bespoke solutions remain necessary.
Among the shared assets is Plarium’s GoGame marketing platform and its product‑detail‑page (PDP) data system, both of which are being extended with new features to benefit the entire MTG ecosystem. Redin stressed that the goal is to “put our efforts where we get the biggest bang for our buck,” leveraging the strengths of existing studios while supercharging them with a robust, group‑wide technology suite.
Artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, is another transformative force within MTG. InnoGames, for example, has already been using AI to generate content for its mobile title Sunrise Village and is exploring broader AI‑driven content creation. Redin observed that AI is becoming embedded across the production pipeline in the mobile space, with studios experimenting on how best to integrate AI without disrupting established workflows. She described AI as “significantly more powerful than any other tool we’ve had before,” and emphasized that the company is focused on adding AI layers to existing processes such as A/B testing, graphics creation, quality assurance, and analytics.
The company’s approach to AI is pragmatic: successful AI solutions piloted in individual studios are being incorporated into the Plarium tech suite for wider rollout. Redin explained that MTG encourages studios to experiment within a defined AI framework, then shares learnings across the group so that breakthroughs can be scaled quickly.
While some industry observers warn that AI could eventually replace human creativity, Redin believes that the human element remains essential. “Our talent’s creativity isn’t yet inside AI,” she said, “but if we ignore AI we’ll fall behind competitors. AI should supercharge, not replace, our creative teams.” Financially, roughly 80 % of MTG’s revenue now stems from the Playamp division, with the remaining 20 % generated by Playsimple.
Redin expressed a desire to broaden both sides of the portfolio. She cited Snowprint as a recent acquisition and mused about finding “five more Snowprints around the world.” On the casual side, she noted that Playsimple is currently a single studio but still contributes a substantial share of earnings, and she envisions adding a third “district” to the gaming village in the future—potentially focused on leveraging the company’s marketing platforms or data capabilities. When asked about the health of the mobile market, Redin observed that the top‑ten mobile games list has remained remarkably stable over the years, reinforcing MTG’s long‑standing belief in evergreen intellectual property (IP). While the company continues to invest heavily in proven titles like Raid: Shadow Legends, it also recognises the need for a fresh pipeline of games.
Plarium, for instance, is preparing to soft‑launch a new title early next year. Redin acknowledged the difficulty of launching successful new games, referencing Supercell’s recent challenges with its Squad Busters incubator, but she argued that a steady flow of new IP is essential to preserve the creative DNA of the studios and to keep the portfolio dynamic.
Looking at the broader industry landscape, Redin noted that the mobile gaming market, despite its maturity, still offers significant opportunity. With an estimated three billion gamers worldwide, the sector remains compelling, even as it competes for user attention with streaming services and social media platforms. She tempered expectations for hyper‑growth, noting that most data sources now project low‑single‑digit to mid‑single‑digit growth rates.
To exceed that baseline, MTG must continue to nurture its evergreen IPs while also delivering fresh experiences to the market. In summary, Maria Redin’s roadmap for MTG blends aggressive acquisition, thoughtful integration, technology standardisation, and AI‑enhanced development. By rebranding its internal districts, fostering a village‑like culture, and balancing the strengths of established franchises with the ambition to launch new titles, MTG aims to double its size within the next few years and cement its position as a leading force in the evolving mobile gaming arena.