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News 
Prima Games Bought Out By Random House
- Posted By Mike
Schneider, 08.16.2001
It was revealed today that Prima Games, a top of the line producer of strategy guides for videogames, has been bought out by Random House.
Prima Communications, Inc., the U.S. market-leading publisher of video and computer game strategy guides, has agreed to be acquired by Random House, Inc., the world’s largest trade book publisher. Prima also publishes several highly-focused lifestyle and health book programs and an array of targeted technology and computer application titles for professionals and consumers. The purchase was announced today in New York and Sacramento, where Random House and Prima are respectively headquartered, by Peter Olson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Random House, Inc., and Ben Dominitz, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Prima Communications, Inc. Prima’s international operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France are also being acquired by Random House, Inc.
Prima Communications publishes some 300 new books annually in trade paperback and hardcover formats and maintains an active backlist of 700 titles.
Terms of the agreement between the two companies, both of which are privately held, were not disclosed. The purchase is expected to be finalized within the next few weeks.
Under Random House, Prima will retain its name and the distinct editorial identities of its publishing programs, with its staff continuing to be based in Sacramento and Indianapolis, working closely with Random House, Inc. counterparts in New York. Ben Dominitz will become Chairman Emeritus of Prima Communications, and Senior Vice President, Special Projects, reporting to Richard Sarnoff, President, Random House New Media and Corporate Development Group.
Prima Games, Prima’s video and computer game guides publishing line, holds approximately 50% of the U.S. market for strategy guides, selling more than ten million copies of their titles annually. Upon completion of the transaction, Prima Games, and Prima’s technology publishing line, known as Prima Tech, will become new imprints of the Random House Information Group publishing division of Random House, Inc. The Random House Information Group consists of such well-known nonfiction publishing brands as Fodor’s Travel Publications, The Princeton Review, Living Language, Random House Puzzles & Games, and Random House Reference.
The Prima Lifestyle Group, comprised of trade paperbacks and hardcovers on alternative and natural health, such as The Natural Pharmacist series; parenting; education; business and finance; and current events, after the closing, will become a new publishing program of Random House, Inc.’s Crown Publishing Group division. Prima’s titles in these areas will complement Crown’s Three Rivers Press trade paperback imprint new title and backlist efforts, in addition to the publisher’s Crown, Crown Business, Harmony, and Clarkson Potter hardcover lines.
Peter Olson observed “In welcoming Prima to Random House, Inc. we accomplish two of our long-term strategic objectives: to acquire market leaders in a fast-growing niche publishing area in which we are not represented as well as to enhance our frontlists and backlists with a quality imprint that is an excellent fit with our current publishing programs. We look forward to working with the Prima management and editorial, sales, and marketing team as colleagues to do some excellent publishing together.”
According to Mr. Dominitz, “Random House has a long and distinguished history of acquiring companies in a way that enhances opportunities for all concerned. We are pleased to become a part of the leading international publishing company and are enthusiastic about the growth opportunities this will create for all concerned.”
Random House, Inc. is the U.S affiliate company of Random House, the book publishing division of Bertelsmann AG, the world’s most international media company. As of April 1st, Random House officially will be comprised of all Bertelsmann’s trade book publishing divisions and imprints in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, Austria, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Uruguay. In the U.S., Random House, Inc. publishes more than 3,500 new adult and children’s hardcover, trade and mass market paperback, audio and electronic books annually and maintains an active backlist of almost 25,000 titles. Bertelsmann AG’s media, e-commerce, and interactive content enterprises in fifty-four countries include music and film companies, television and radio networks, consumer magazines and trade journals, printing and manufacturing services, direct-to-consumer book and record clubs, and multimedia activities that provide information, education, and entertainment to a worldwide audience.
There you have it...
Source: Prima Games
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