EA’s former senior director of world industrial technique Adolf Kristjansson is taking cost of Payday developer Starbreeze.
The Starbreeze board confirmed Kristjansson will start his tenure as CEO on April 1, 2025. The brand new boss will work to show the corporate in to a “true multi-title studio.”
His appointment will see interim CEO Mats Juhl return to his function of chief monetary officer.
The information comes round a yr after Starbreeze ousted then-CEO Tobias Sjögren with Payday 3 underperforming following a torrid launch.
On the time, Starbreeze claimed it wanted “completely different management” to bolster the efficiency of key franchises and execute on a technique centred round “creating engaging video games on our personal and licensed IPs.”
The corporate board will hope Kristjansson—who spent 13 years at EA engaged on franchises like FIFA, Battlefield, and Apex Legends—can rise to the problem.
“I be part of Starbreeze with nice enthusiasm for the corporate’s present and future tasks, not the least the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons title. I sit up for persevering with the work of increasing the Payday franchise additional and constructing Starbreeze into a real multi-title studio,” stated Kristjansson in a be aware to buyers.
“Most of all, I sit up for working intently with our proficient groups and interesting with our passionate participant neighborhood as we construct the subsequent chapter of Starbreeze collectively.”
Starbreeze just lately steered Payday 3 is on the street to restoration however recorded a full-year lack of $18.5 million throughout the full-year ended December 2024.
That got here after internet gross sales related to Payday 3 tumbled dramatically year-over-year.
Starbreeze, nevertheless, feels the threequel and broader franchise will profit from “model extension” initiatives with PUBG and Roblox and a promotional marketing campaign that noticed it grow to be the Month-to-month Recreation in February on PlayStation Plus—letting subscribers declare it at no cost.
