Embracer Group reportedly seeks to sell Borderlands developer Gearbox
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Gearbox Entertainment, the developer of theBorderlandsfranchise, is reportedly being put up for sale by parent company Embracer Group.
The team that most recently put out titles includingBorderlands 3andTiny Tina’s Wonderlandswas fully acquired by Embracer Group in 2021 for approximately $1.3 billion. This was part of a string of purchases made by the Swedish holding company, which also owns THQ Nordic, Plaion (formerly Koch Media), Saber Interactive, and Crystal Dynamics among many more.
Areport from Reutersnow suggests that Embracer Group is looking to sell Gearbox Entertainment, according to three anonymous sources. The sources claim that a number of “international gaming groups” are interested in acquiring theBorderlandscreator, who also published the critically and commercially successfulRemnant 2a month ago.
Embracer’s desire to sell Gearbox Entertainment may have been borne from what is reportedly a rough year for the holding company. Back in May, it was reported that a “groundbreaking strategic partnership” worth $2 billion fell through at the last minute (viaPC Gamer). This latest report also closely follows the closing ofSaints Rowdeveloper Volition, the reboot of which was received poorly by series fans and critics alike.
Furthermore, Gearbox Entertainment CCO Dan Hewitt recently toldBloombergthat “there are many options under consideration” in regards to Gearbox’s future ownership, which may include a transfer to another company or “taking Gearbox independent.”
As for which parties are interested in acquiring Gearbox Entertainment from Embracer Group, that remains a mystery. But it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that gaming giants like Tencent, Xbox Game Studios, or Sony Interactive Entertainment would be partial to the buyout, given how valuable theBorderlandsIP continues to be.
For more games like the Borderlands series, consider checking out our guides to thebest FPS gamesand thebest co-op games.
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Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
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