Embracer buys Gearbox

[Breccia]

From Rock Paper Shotgun:

Embracer Group, a vast web of European developers and publishers which includes THQ Nordic and Deep Silver, today announced they've swallowed up Gearbox. The gang behind Borderlands and Aliens: Colonial Marines are merging with Embracer to become the seventh operating group within the family. The deal's worth $363 million (£262m) to start. Gearbox say this is cool, and they're planning to grow.

Embracer are paying $363 million (£262m) in cash and shares up front for Gearbox. They say up to another $1015 million (£734m) in cash and shares could potentially follow if Gearbox meet targets over the next six years.

Today's announcement says that Gearbox's plans as part of Embracer include "the expansion of talent at both studios, the creation of new Gearbox studios, and expanded partnerships." They say the merger "enables Gearbox to do more with its existing brands, create new brands, and, potentially, undertake the merger and acquisition of other successful industry and industry-adjacent entities and properties." Dreaming big, then. Gearbox have a publishing arm of their own these days too, remember.

Embracer (formerly known as THQ Nordic AB, and Nordic Games before that) have 60-odd internal development studios now. They've bought over a dozen in the past six months, including Metro devs 4A Games and Shadow Warrior rebooters Flying Wild Hog.

Randy Pitchford will contine to lead Gearbox and sounds, ah, very professionally enthusiastic about Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors.

"Lars's vision of Embracer as an allied partner group committed to fueling and accelerating the ambitions of a series of decentralized, successful entrepreneurial companies while magnifying the collective value and advantages of diversification across the entire group is the most brilliant strategy and design for short, medium, and long-term success in this industry that I have ever encountered in my 30 years in this industry," Pitchford said. Well then.

I'm not exactly an expert, but when I look up a list of THQ games, it mentions both Kingdoms of Amalur and Ori and the Blind Forest, so they seem to have their shit together. I also see a lot of the Metro series, the Darksiders series, and the Red Faction series, suggesting they might actually take a successful shot at Duke Nukem...if they think the name is still salvageable. And of course, you'd have to be a fool to take over Gearbox and immediately fuck with Borderlands. That's gotta be their #1 product right now. It'd be like buying Chik-Fil-A and axing everything but the kale salad.

What do you think? Rate your answers by color, flavor text, and manufacturer.

[Verdugo]

Hope they can fire Randy after his next public blowout. Then he can marry Cliffy B. Two assholes that were rejected by the industry, how heartburning.

[Arrashi]

Hope they can fire Randy after his next public blowout. Then he can marry Cliffy B. Two assholes that were rejected by the industry, how heartburning.

This is the first thing i thought after reading the tittle. I really hope Randall will get whats coming to him.

[Edge-]

Hope they can fire Randy after his next public blowout. Then he can marry Cliffy B. Two assholes that were rejected by the industry, how heartburning.

Oh please no. Never fire Randy. He's an endless source of amusement and entertainment.

Who else would do the company magic shows at conventions, anyways?

[Verdugo]

Oh please no. Never fire Randy. He's an endless source of amusement and entertainment.

Who else would do the company magic shows at conventions, anyways?

But imagine the twitter meltdowns after that, we can have another Cliffy B.

Just look at this shit.

[Edge-]

But imagine the twitter meltdowns after that, we can have another Cliffy B.

I'm hoping they keep a loose leash on him and we continue to get those meltdowns.

OT: The deal seems weird, like Gearbox didn't have much leverage or negotiating power. $375Mish upfront (mix of cash and stocks) and another $1B (cash and stocks) if they hit sales/performance metrics in 6 years? Seems like this deal has some built-in risk management to protect them from overpaying if Gearbox shits out another A:CM or Battleborn.

What's with the Swedes buying shit up though? First EG7 nabs Daybreak, now Embracer buys Gearbox. Are they just like, flush with cash in the Swedish development/publishing scene? >.>

[Arrashi]

Oh please no. Never fire Randy. He's an endless source of amusement and entertainment.

Who else would do the company magic shows at conventions, anyways?

If you are talking about "squirt" magic than water hose will do better job than him.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

Not sure what this will mean on the future of the Borderlands franchise, as that's all I care about coming from Gearbox.

[Blackmist]

Seems pretty low, but then it *is* Gearbox. They have more misses than hits, and they've only had two games in the entire last gen, and one of them just shut the servers down so that wasn't going too well.

Randy must be running out of cash. Probably make one more game then wrap it all up and fuck off with his ill-gotten earnings.

[Edge-]

If you are talking about "squirt" magic than water hose will do better job than him.

That's his side project. HOW DOES IT WORK?!

Naw, I'm talking about his stage magic. You know, for the public.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Seems pretty low, but then it *is* Gearbox. They have more misses than hits, and they've only had two games in the entire last gen, and one of them just shut the servers down so that wasn't going too well.

Randy must be running out of cash. Probably make one more game then wrap it all up and fuck off with his ill-gotten earnings.

Nah its probably to get the franchises that are worth a damn and well Borderlands is pretty popular despite pockets of the internet raging about it. Randy though is a big problem. Much as I lmao at him I feel like he might screw the company over badly if he doesn't stop.

[Verdugo]

I just got reminded of something. Guys, remember Godfall? The game that got released and then nothing?

[Edge-]

I just got reminded of something. Guys, remember Godfall? The game that got released and then nothing?

It seems to have landed with a bit of a thud. Gorgeous, some fun moments, but meh. I'd totally forgotten about that even.

It shouldn't have hit them too hard financially, BL3 was a pretty big success (8M+ units shipped/sold, huge digital sales including through EGS where it first released where they got a much bigger cut) and should have given them a nice financial cushion in case Godfall was a miss.

But damn, yeah. I mean, we all joke about how Watch Dogs Legion launched and was forgotten, but I think Godfall might be the rightful owner of that crown.

[Verdugo]

It seems to have landed with a bit of a thud. Gorgeous, some fun moments, but meh. I'd totally forgotten about that even.

It shouldn't have hit them too hard financially, BL3 was a pretty big success (8M+ units shipped/sold, huge digital sales including through EGS where it first released where they got a much bigger cut) and should have given them a nice financial cushion in case Godfall was a miss.

But damn, yeah. I mean, we all joke about how Watch Dogs Legion launched and was forgotten, but I think Godfall might be the rightful owner of that crown.

Wonder when Randy is going commision some R34 for it in a pathetic attempt to advertise it.

[Edge-]

Wonder when Randy is going commision some R34 for it in a pathetic attempt to advertise it.

I'm here for this. If he's gonna pay some lewd artists, go for it. Give those lewd artists some work! I ain't gonna judge, there's apparently a community for Warframe R34 and all that. To each their own.

[Traveler Voltin]

since i never heard of Embracer.
is this a good or bad thing?

[Arrashi]

That's his side project. HOW DOES IT WORK?!

Naw, I'm talking about his stage magic. You know, for the public.

Honestly i dread what will Randy show us at borderlands 4 announcement.

"After 1000 hours of hardcore pornography im ready for my magnum opus"

[Sorshen]

Randy's still gonna post cringe on social media.

since i never heard of Embracer.
is this a good or bad thing?

Look up THQ Nordic. They got some hits. And some stinkers. But pretty good overall I'd say.

[Traveler Voltin]

Randy's still gonna post cringe on social media.




Look up THQ Nordic. They got some hits. And some stinkers. But pretty good overall I'd say.

stupid me not being clear.
i meant more are they a good company or are they more like EA?

[deenman]

Hope they can fire Randy after his next public blowout. Then he can marry Cliffy B. Two assholes that were rejected by the industry, how heartburning.

uhg...im to lazy to dig for it...what did randy do this time lol