Gearbox is reportedly the latest studio to be affected by Embracer Group’s restructuring efforts.
In June, Embracer announced a “comprehensive restructuring programme” to help recover from its large spending spree over recent years and a 40 percent drop in share price following a report of a failed “major strategic partnership” with Savvy Games Group, which is backed by the Saudi Arabian government.
As part of the restructuring, Saints Row developer Volition Games was shut down “effective immediately” at the end of last month. A new report from Reuters claims that Borderlands developer Gearbox will be one of the next studios Embracer sheds.
UPDATE 5.40pm: Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reports that Gearbox has today emailed employees confirming Embracer Group is, at the very least, considering parting ways with the Borderlands studio - although a specific course of action is yet to be decided on.
“The base case is that Gearbox remains a part of Embracer,” Gearbox chief communications officer Dan Hewitt told staff in an email seen by Bloomberg. “However, there are many options under consideration, including Gearbox’s transfer, taking Gearbox independent, and others. Ultimately, we’ll move ahead with whichever path is best for both Gearbox and Embracer.”
“Nothing has been decided yet,” Hewitt added, “but there will be a lot of speculation in the coming weeks.”
I didn’t realize Embracer owned Gearbox. I thought it was still 2K.
2k never owned Gearbox. They were the publisher Gearbox used, Embracer bought the Studio in 2021 before that they were independent.
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My hope is that people leave and make a new studio and some new IP’s. These large publishers buying everything and then running into the ground due to endess growth is tiring.
I hope Risk of Rain makes it out of this alright.
Gearbox only owns the IP, not the studio. So although ROR could die with gearbox, theres nothing stopping the dev from making a spiritual sucessor.
Pipe dream, but sell Gearbox and try to keep the Duke Nukem IP.
Honestly, I’d completely forgotten that Embracer had bought out Gearbox. Curious to see who ends up acquiring them, if anyone actually does. Also have to wonder just how many studios Embracer is going to end up selling off or shutting down by the end of this.
