Balatro publisher Playstack to be acquired by Gamespot and Fandom owner

Balatro publisher Playstack is being sold to Integrated Media Company, the private equity firm that owns Fandom and GameSpot, in a majority-stake deal valuing the UK publisher at about $169 million USD.

• As reported by Game Developer, Playstack owner TruFin has agreed to sell its 84.5% stake to VantageCo, a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrated Media Company, for around £112.4 million (about $151 million), implying a total valuation of roughly £125 million ($169 million) for the publisher.
• Integrated Media Company, itself owned by private equity giant TPG, controls a portfolio of 15 media and entertainment brands, including Fandom, GameSpot, Metacritic, Screen Junkies, Fanatical, and others. This will be the company’s first-ever purchase in the game development and publishing space.
• Speaking on the pending deal, Playstack founder and CEO Harvey Elliot said, "I'm excited to share that Playstack is entering its next chapter with a new investment partner. In practical terms, this is a change in ownership rather than a change in who we are. Our team, our strategy, and our commitment to publishing premium indie games remain exactly the same. For now, it’s business as usual. I sincerely thank TruFin for being an invaluable partner over the past seven years, helping us reach this exciting next step.”