Focus Entertainment

Focus Entertainment Publishing
FormerlyFocus Home Interactive (1996–2021)
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
Founded1996; 30 years ago (1996)
Headquarters
Paris
,
France
Key peopleChristophe Nobileau (President and CEO)
ProductsA Plague Tale series
City Life series
Cities XL series
Pro Cycling Manager series
Sherlock Holmes series
TrackMania series
Wargame series
ParentPulluP Entertainment (2024–present)
SubsidiariesDeck13
Dotemu
Douze Dixiemes
Leikir Studio
BlackMill Games
Dovetail Games
Carpool Studio
Websitewww.focus-entmt.com

Focus Entertainment Publishing (formerly Focus Home Interactive and Focus Entertainment) is a French video game publisher based in Paris. It became a subsidiary of holding PulluP Entertainment Group in 2024. Founded in 1996, Focus has published and distributed original titles such as Sherlock Holmes, TrackMania, Runaway, and sports games like Cycling Manager and Virtual Skipper.

History

Focus Home Interactive was founded in 1996 in Paris. Initially a distributor of software, the company shifted its focus to video game publishing around 2000. During the 2000s it established itself as a publisher of PC and console games, releasing titles and series such as Runaway, TrackMania, Cycling Manager, and Cossacks, while later publishing internationally successful franchises including Farming Simulator.

In June 2010, Focus acquired the Cities XL franchise from the bankrupt developer Monte Cristo. In 2012, the company began publishing games developed by Giants Software, further strengthening its position in the simuation genre. CEO Cédric Lagarrigue, who had led the company for two decades, departed in 2018.

Beginning in 2020, Focus pursued a strategy of expansion through acquisitions, purchasing several development studios including Deck13, Streum On Studio, Dotemu, Douze Dixièmes, Leikir Studio, BlackMill Games, and Dovetail Games. These acquisitions transformed the company from primarily a publisher into a group with substantial internal development capabilities.

On 6 September 2021, Focus Home Interactive was renamed Focus Entertainment to reflect its broader activities in the video game industry. In 2024, the company underwent a major corporate reorganization and adopted the name PulluP Entertainment. Under the new structure, Focus Entertainment Publishing continued as the group’s publishing subsidiary while the parent company assumed a holding and support role for its publishing and development businesses.

Studios

Name Location Founded or acquired Ref(s).
BlackMill Games Heiloo, Netherlands September 2022
Deck13 Deck13 Hamburg Hamburg, Germany June 2020
Deck13 Montreal Montreal, Canada
Deck13 Spotlight Frankfurt, Germany
Dotemu Paris, France August 2021
Douze Dixièmes Saint Ouen, France October 2021
Carpool Studio Paris, France June 2023
Leikir Studio Ivry-sur-Seine, France February 2022
Dovetail Games Chatham, England April 2023

Games

References

  1. ↑ "FHI | Investors". investor.focus-home.com. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Focus Reorganises Company Under New Umbrella Brand PulluP Entertainment". gamesmarket.global. 23 January 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Our story - PulluP Entertainment". pullupent.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Focus Home Interactive announces Cities XL 2011" (Press release). Focus Home Interactive. 4 July 2010. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  5. ↑ "Farming Simulator". Focus Home Interactive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Dealessandri, Marie (11 April 2018). "Focus CEO Cédric Lagarrigue resigns after 20 years". MCV/DEVELOP. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "Focus Home Interactive acquires Deck13 Interactive". Gematsu. 25 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "Focus acquires Streum On studio - Focus Entertainment". www.focus-entmt.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  9. ↑ Grubb, Jeff (5 August 2021). "Focus Home Interactive acquires Dotemu to capitalize on retro nostalgia". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  10. ↑ "Focus Entertainment acquires Douze Dixiemes". Gematsu. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Focus acquires Leikir Studio". GamesIndustry.biz. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  12. ↑ "Focus Entertainment acquires WW1 Game Series developer BlackMill Games". GamesIndustry.biz. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  13. 1 2 Romano, Sal (20 April 2023). "Focus Entertainment acquires Dovetail Games". Gematsu. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Focus Home Interactive, the Publisher of a Plague Tale, is Now Focus Entertainment". 6 September 2021.
  15. ↑ "Focus Entertainment to rebrand to PulluP in April". www.gamedeveloper.com. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "FOCUS ENTERTAINMENT: FOCUS ENTERTAINMENT becomes PULLUP ENTERTAINMENT on 1 April 2024". live.euronext.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Focus Entertainment acquires WW1 Game Series developer BlackMill Games". GamesIndustry.biz. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  18. ↑ "Focus Home Interactive acquires Deck13 Interactive". Gematsu. 25 June 2020.
  19. ↑ Grubb, Jeff (5 August 2021). "Focus Home Interactive acquires Dotemu to capitalize on retro nostalgia". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "Focus Entertainment acquires Douze Dixiemes". Gematsu. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  21. ↑ Kerr, Chris (16 June 2023). "Focus Entertainment taps Ubisoft veterans to establish Carpool Studio". Game Developer. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  22. ↑ "Focus acquires Leikir Studio". GamesIndustry.biz. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.