Group 62 absorbs Periscope Editions

BarcelonaGrupo 62 has acquired a majority stake in Edicions del Periscopi. With this business transaction, the imprint led by Aniol Rafel and Marta Rubirola becomes part of the group. "This opportunity arose and we thought it was a great opportunity, especially considering the publishing project. It's a very good deal for Periscopio, because it allows us to continue using our current team, with the freedom to continue producing the books we were producing without any restrictions and also to maintain the distribution we had. We will work as we have been, but with greater comfort," he explains.

The publisher assures that this is not an urgent decision nor one made reluctantly, but rather one they have made "after two good years." According to Rafel, "given the inclement weather in the publishing sector, being able to count on the support of a large group gives them peace of mind." The alliance will provide them with greater resources and strengthen the presence of their books and authors in new spaces and markets. "In principle, it's all advantages. We have to see if people label us in certain ways; I hope we're not judged differently," adds the editor, who says that Grup 62 is "a solid and expert group" from which they can "learn a lot." Despite the corporate change, Periscopio will remain committed "to literature, readers, and the defense and dissemination of the Catalan language and culture."

For his part, Grupo 62's editorial director, Emili Rosales, welcomed the addition of Periscopio. "We are very happy to have reached this agreement. Periscopio has stood out as one of the most brilliant publishers, attracting international and local talent, and has a very unique way of publishing and reaching readers. It's an enrichment to be able to add them to the diverse approach we have at Grup 62," says Rosales. The operation responds to the desire to incorporate "labels that maintain their personality" with the goal of "making the Catalan-language literature offering as broad as possible," Rosales adds. Grupo 62 is part of Planeta since 2013.

Ediciones del Periscopio, led by Aniol Rafel and Marta Rubirola, was born in 2012 with a small structure, but soon positioned itself at the forefront of the market. Over the last decade, it has become one of the leading labels in independent publishing in Catalonia, unrelated—until now—to the major groups. Periscopio is one of the publishers that has received the most Llibreter awards, with titles such as Soul by Wajdi Mouawad (2014), Ice giants by Joan Benesiu (2015), Unknown by Manuel Baixauli (2020), Construction materials by Eider Rodríguez (2024) and the recent Only earth, only rain, only mud by Montse Aubets (2025). Periscopio has published in Catalan great international authors such as Sally Rooney, Gabrielle Zevin, Kent Haruf and Colson Whitehead.

For several years now, the three major groups (Penguin Random House, Planeta, and Abacus) have been acquiring independent labels in a series of publishing mergers. In 2019, Penguin Random House bought The Bell, founded by Josep Maria Espinàs and Isabel Martí, and in 2021, La Magrana. That same year, Enciclopèdia Catalana he kept Vienna, the publishing house of Isabel Monsó and Enric Viladot. The last move, before the change of Periscope, was the acquisition of Abacus and Jaume Roures of all the stamps of Enciclopèdia Catalana, last year.