Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe acquires Cross Cult Entertainment Group

Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe has signed an agreement to acquire Cross Cult Entertainment Group, marking its entry into the comics, manga, and manhwa segment. The acquisition will see the German publishing giant significantly broaden its portfolio, opening up new opportunities in the fast-growing graphic literature market. Cross Cult’s current management team will remain in place and continue to run the business independently.

Headquartered in Munich, Gütersloh, Berlin, and Gerlingen, Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe is one of the leading German-language trade publishing groups, employing nearly 1,000 people. Founded in 2001, Cross Cult publishes a wide range of comics and manga for young people and adults through its imprints Cross Cult, Manga Cult, Manhwa Cult, and CROCU. Completion of the transaction is subject to antitrust approval.

Law firm GOF Gütt Olk Feldhaus provided legal advice in all phases of the transaction process with a team composed of: Dr. Heiner Feldhaus (Partner, Corporate/M&A, Lead), Thomas Becker (Of Counsel, IP/IT/Data Protection), Matthias Uelner (Counsel, Corporate/M&A), and Tobias Bergmeister (Associate, Corporate/M&A).

Other legal advisers included:

• Kind & Drews (Düsseldorf) – Dr. Ernesto Drews (Partner, Tax)

• FINKENHOF Rechtsanwälte – Dr. Lorenzo Matthaei, Karolina Astner (both Partners), and Maximilian Stockmann (all Restructuring Law)

• BLOMSTEIN – Dr. Max Klasse (Partner), Dr. Dr. Julia Lotze (both Merger Control)

• Pusch Wahlig Workplace Law – Ingo Sappa (Partner) and Dr. Miriam Engler (Associate) (both Labor Law)