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Following Borderlands 3 immense success, developer Gearbox announced the studio's acquisition by the Embracer Group. The group in question falls under the management of the Swedish holding company formerly known as THQ Nordic. The deal allegedly cost Embracer around USD 1.3 billion. Gearbox's 550 staff across two cities joins the Embracer Group effective immediately.
The Sharpest Tool in the Gearbox
Gearbox survived and succeeded as a solo venture up until the acquisition by the large group. Gearbox garnered fame primarily through its vastly famous Borderlands franchise. Randy Pitchford, co-founder and CEO of the game studio, expressed his optimism about the big move for his studio. He had this to say regarding the 1.3B acquisition.
“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 propellant for the exciting future we have planned.”
Pitchford remains as the Gearbox head following the partnership. Pitchford further praised Embracer's commitment to develop multiple “decentralized and successful companies.” He capped off his brief statement by stating that Emrbacer's strategy for the industry is the “most brilliant strategy” that he has ever encountered in his 30 years of experience.
The executives at Gearbox may be overjoyed with the big merger but only time will tell if its the right move. The bottom line for players remains the continuing development of great games that don't come at the cost of the physical and mental health of its developers. We've certainly seen more than our fair share of studio acquisitions in the past. Hopefully, this case turns out to be one of the better examples of big video game mergers.
The Embracer group moved to acquire multiple companies and developers in 2020 prior to moving on Gearbox Software. They now have access to over 200 franchises and some 5,500 talented development personnel. Their motives remain unclear at this time. Hopefully, we can all expect better games to come our way.
