Take-Two is acquiring Gearbox Interactive from Embracer Group for a cool $460m.
14.03.2024 - 10:11 / eurogamer.net / Lars Wingefors / Matthew Karch / Saber Interactive
Troubled video game publisher Embracer has announced the sale of more of its assets — this time, large portions of Saber Interactive, for the price of $247m.
In a financial call this morning, Embracer said the sale means it will cease all operations in Russia, something that will help it «reduce [its] geopolitical risk» — though the buyer, a company named Beacon Interactive, is founded by Saber Interactive co-founder Matthew Karch.
Karch will now lead Saber's studios separately from Embracer, though in a statement said he would remain «a large, long-term shareholder of Embracer» who will continue to partner with the company on «several ongoing and future projects». In the financial call, Embracer boss Lars Wingefors noted Karch would not retain any management or board position at Embracer, however.
Newscast: Why are there so many games industry layoffs? Newscast: Why are there so many video game industry layoffs?In terms of actual studios, today's announcement will see Embracer sell off all Saber Interactive-branded studios, plus New World Interactive, Nimble Giant Entertainment, 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks, Mad Head Games, Fractured Byte and Sandbox Strategies. Several of these studios announced layoffs in recent months.
Embracer will retain Aspyr, TripWire, Beamdog, Tuxedo Labs, Demiurge, Shiver, Snapshot Games and 34 Big Things. It will also continue to work with 4A Games and Zen Studios for now, though Saber has the right to acquire them in future.
Upcoming games include four upcoming «AAA» games, including the next from Metro creator 4A Games, several «AA» games from Asmodee and 34 Big Things, Killing Floor 3, plus upcoming titles and the back catalogue of Zen Studios, Aspyr and Tripwire.
The sale will reduce Embracer's debt by 2.1bn Swedish kroner, or around £160m.
After a huge acquisition spree, Embracer has subsequently shed thousands of staff and numerous development studios over the past year as it struggles to balance the books — it says, after a major $2bn investment fell through.
Embracer has since laid off eight percent of its workforce — a total of 1387 employees — and shut a number of its high-profile studios, including Free Radical, which was working on now-cancelled TimeSplitters game, and Saints Row developer Volition.
Last month, it was reported that a deal that would see Embracer sell off Borderlands maker Gearbox was in the «late stages» of finalisation.
Take-Two is acquiring Gearbox Interactive from Embracer Group for a cool $460m.
Embracer have announced that they're selling Borderlands developers Gearbox Entertainment to Take-Two Interactive, owners of 2K Games and GTA 6 developers Rockstar, for $460 million in Take-Two shares. Three Gearbox Software studios - the flagship studio in Texas, together with Gearbox Montréal and Gearbox Quebec - will change hands as part of the deal. Take-Two will also acquire the Borderlands and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands franchises, together with Homeworld, Risk of Rain, Brothers in Arms and Duke Nukem.
Sega has announced that three companies under its umbrella are facing layoffs, and it has also sold Relic Entertainment, the well-known developer behind multiple successful franchises. Since its founding in 1997, Relic Entertainment has released several popular games, including four Warhammer 40,000 titles, Company of Heroes and its two sequels, the first two games in the Homeworld series, and Age of Empires 4. The company has earned a reputation in the industry primarily as a skillful developer of real-time strategy games but has dabbled in other genres as well.
Troubled gaming conglomerate Embracer announced Thursday that it has agreed to sell Gearbox Entertainment, the studio behind the Borderlands games, to Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two for $460 million.
A good few months after a sale was first reported to be on the table, Embracer has now confirmed the sale of Gearbox Entertainment to Take-Two Interactive for $460 million. This brings Gearbox in house with long term publishing partner 2K Games, who still had publishing rights to the Borderlands franchise, even with the developer under Embracer’s ownership.
Embracer Group has sold Borderlands developer Gearbox for $460 million USD, after acquiring the developer for roughly $1.3 billion just over three years ago.
The collapse of the utterly reckless Embracer Group continues to occur publicly, as juggernaut development unit Saber Interactive has announced plans to split from the embattled Swedish organisation. The division will be purchased by Beacon Interactive, a new holding firm controlled by Saber Interactive’s co-founder Matthew Karch. But as detailed in a press release on the divestment, there’s still plenty to be untangled between the two titans.
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Embracer Group has announced the $247 million sale of Saber Interactive to Beacon Interactive, a new parent company that is owned by Saber co-founder Matthew Karch.
Saber Interactive is officially splitting from Embracer Group, bringing a few more studios formerly owned by the Swedish company with it as well.
Embracer Group confirmed it is selling Saber Interactive to Beacon Interactive on Thursday morning, following rumors of a sale last month. Saber Interactive is a massive company that not only develops games like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game but also owns several studios.