Developer & Publisher Gearbox, famously known for its Borderlands franchise, has been bought by Embracer Group for $1.3 Billion Dollars. You can check the official news from the company here.
Embracer Group (formally known as THQ Nordic AB) made a lot of headlines recently with its spree of studio acquirements. Gearbox will be the 7th “operating group” in its lineup. The other ones being; THQ Nordic, Saber Interactive, Koch Media, DECA Games, Amplifier Game Invest, and Coffee Stain Holding.
The current head of Gearbox Randy Pitchford will remain at the helm of the studio. In the press release he said the followings:
“The feeling at Gearbox is that we are just getting started and this transaction is not merely a stimulant for the talent of our employee-owned company, but a propellent for the exciting future we have planned,”
Gearbox in a statement to PC Gamer outlet stated:
“As the proud publisher of the Borderlands franchise, we are happy for our partners at Gearbox and this exciting new chapter for their organization. The merger does not change 2K’s relationship with Gearbox nor our role as the publisher for the Borderlands IP or any other projects we are currently working on with the studio. We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with this incredibly talented team and delivering many more exciting entertainment experiences to gaming fans around the world.”
The Future of Gearbox
The Embracer Group once acquired 18 different gaming studios in just a single day. At the time, they had more than 118 games in development. With the latest news, I expect this number to be somewhere in the range of 150. Their biggest game that is slated to release is Biomutant. After a year of silence, the game will come out on May 25.
The Embracer Group expects Gearbox to diverse its capability not just to make other IPs other than Borderlands, but also to expand its publishing operation.
