Gearbox Software, the studio responsible for the Borderlands franchise could be one of the few gaming studios to make the headlines in the following days after Embracer Group sells along with Saber Interactive, the studio behind the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. The Embracer Group is a video game holding company that originated in Sweden and went on a spending spree back and has acquired a handful of studios.
Saber Interactive was acquired by the conglomerate in 2020 for $525 million and Gearbox was acquired a year later for a handsome fee of $1.3 billion. Bold moves like these could paint a target behind their backs, and also cause a lot of financial troubles. The futures of these studios are now unclear given recent reports that Embracer is selling Saber and the CEO and co-founder of Gearbox has laid several options on how to move forward.
Saber Interactive’s Warhammer 40,000 Sequel Is Still Coming
On a positive note, games that are in active development were not affected by this transaction. The upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is still targeting a 2024 release across the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and on PC. Saber Interactive is still committed to the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake as well, and fans should be relieved that the project has not been harmed, but potentially delayed.
Fans have been eagerly waiting for the remake and feared for its future when the former studio in charge of the project, Aspyr, was taken off the board. Saber Interactive was the right choice to take on the remake and one could only hope the project will escape development hell.
Borderlands Developers Weigh Their Options
Randy Pitchford was said to have held a town hall, hosting all of the employees of Gearbox, and has presented three options for the studio’s future: remain with the Embracer Group, buy back their freedom, and become an independent studio once again, or sell to another large conglomerate, which seems to be the final decision. Pitchford also stated that updates will be shared in the following months, perhaps an acquisition announcement on their social media accounts.
The Borderlands franchise is not disappearing from the public eye anyway, especially with the brand new live-action film releasing in August 2024. This transition to another form of art could be an indication of a decrease in the output of games since Pitchford was also optimistic about establishing a Borderlands Cinematic Universe.
The Embracer Group may have bit off more than it could chew with its previous acquisition spree and doing everything in its power to recuperate the losses by selling high-value studios like Saber Interactive and Gearbox Software. Maybe these transactions are for the best and could have a positive impact on their IPs and future projects. Do you think Embracer is making the right choice? Let us know in the comments below!
