Embracer reportedly considering selling Borderlands developer Gearbox

Less than 18 months after it acquired Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Mythforce developers Beamdog, Embracer Group has reportedly laid off more than two dozen staff at the studio. Mere days after the release of its nostalgic co-op shooter, no less.

Embracer has made a new round of layoffs, this time at Mythforce developer Beamdog less than 18 months after its acquisition.

Xbox has made significant acquisitions this generation, like its $7.5 billion purchase of ZeniMax Media and its colossal $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition. Xbox and Microsoft spent a lot of time this year in courts working to get its purchase of Activision Blizzard legally approved, and many documents were sealed away from the public and press during these proceedings. However, various unseen documents from those court proceedings have leaked. One email reveals Xbox head Phil Spencer was considering an acquisition of Mario maker Nintendo and Mortal Kombat 1 publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (now known as Warner Bros. Games) at one point. 

A week after Unity announced dramatic changes to its Unity Engine business model — drawing immediate and widespread condemnation from the development community — the company has reportedly told staff it'll be making adjustments to the controversial new pricing plan.

Borderlands developer Gearbox is reportedly up for sale by parent company Embracer Group. As per Reuters, the Swedish conglomerate is looking to restructure following a $2 billion (about Rs. 16,586 crore) deal with Saudi Arabia government-funded Savvy Games Group that fell through, earlier this year. The fallout resulted in the former cutting down on spending, in addition to closing down studios and laying off its employees. Having been acquired merely two-and-a-half years ago, Gearbox is now the latest victim, with some alleged third-party publishers expressing interest in acquiring the developer. No names were mentioned, though they were described as “international gaming groups.”

Embracer is reportedly considering the sale of Borderlands developer Gearbox Entertainment just over two years after it  purchased the company for $1.38 billion.

Rainbow Studios is apparently the latest studio in the firing line of Embracer's restructuring efforts.

Gearbox Entertainment, the developer of the Borderlands franchise, is reportedly being put up for sale by parent company Embracer Group.

Following the sudden closure of veteran Saints Row devs Volition earlier this month, the next storied video game studio owned by mega-conglomerate Embraver Group to be facing an uncertain future is Borderlands makers Gearbox Entertainment, a new report claims.

Following a botched $2 billion deal, Swedish gaming conglomerate Embracer Group has been offloading studios — like Saints Row developer Volition — in an effort restructure the company. Its next target? Borderlands developer and publisher Gearbox Entertainment, Reuters reported on Monday.

A new report published today by Reuters reveals that the Embracer Group is exploring the sale of Gearbox Software with the help of Goldman Sachs and Aream & Co.

Embracer Group is a large company that has its fingers in quite a few pies. In 2021, Gearbox Entertainment was acquired by Embracer for an eye-watering $1.3 billion. Despite the pricey purchase, it seems not all is well, and a report from Reuters claims that Embracer is considering its options with Gearbox.