EA former Adolf Kristjansson is the new CEO of Starbreeze
EA’s former senior director of global business strategy, Adolf Kristjansson, is assuming control of Payday developer Starbreeze.
The board of Starbreeze has confirmed that Kristjansson will commence his role as CEO on April 1, 2025. The new leader aims to transition the company into a “genuine multi-title studio.”
His appointment will create a temporary gap as CEO Mats Juhl reverts to his position as chief financial officer.
This announcement follows a year after Starbreeze dismissed then-CEO Tobias Sjögren due to Payday 3 failing to meet expectations after a troubled launch.
At that time, Starbreeze stated it required “different leadership” to enhance the success of its key franchises and implement a strategy focused on “developing engaging games using our own and licensed IPs.”
The board is hopeful that Kristjansson—who dedicated 13 years to EA working on franchises such as FIFA, Battlefield, and Apex Legends—can rise to the challenge.
“I join Starbreeze with immense excitement for the company’s current and forthcoming projects, especially the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons title. I am eager to continue the efforts of expanding the Payday franchise and shaping Starbreeze into a genuine multi-title studio,” stated Kristjansson in a message to stakeholders.
“Above all, I look forward to collaborating closely with our talented teams and engaging with our enthusiastic player community as we forge the next chapter of Starbreeze together.”
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Starbreeze recently indicated that Payday 3 is on a path to recovery, but reported a total annual loss of $18.5 million for the full year ending December 2024.
This followed a significant decline in sales related to Payday 3 compared to the previous year.
However, Starbreeze believes that the sequel, along with the broader franchise, will benefit from “brand extension” initiatives in collaboration with PUBG and Roblox and from a promotional campaign that made it the Monthly Game in February on PlayStation Plus—allowing subscribers to claim it for free.
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