Embracer Group, the troubled conglomerate, is reportedly looking to sell Gearbox Entertainment, the renowned developer behind the immensely popular Borderlands franchise. The company has enlisted the help of Goldman Sachs and Aream & Co to explore potential buyers, including international gaming groups.
This move comes just two years after Embracer acquired Gearbox for a staggering $1.3 billion. The failure to reach a deal with a Saudi Arabian group, rumored to be Savvy Games Group, has prompted Embracer to undergo a significant restructuring.
Embracer Group has been on an acquisition spree, amassing a substantial portfolio of studios and developers. However, the inability to strike a deal with Savvy Games Group has led to the swift offloading of many of these properties. Notably, studios like Crystal Dynamics and Volition, responsible for games such as Tomb Raider and Saints Row, were closed down during Embracer’s restructuring.
Gearbox, known for its iconic Borderlands series, would be the largest property Embracer seeks to divest. It remains uncertain whether Embracer will be able to recoup the substantial valuation it initially placed on Gearbox.
While under Embracer’s ownership, Gearbox released Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, a spin-off game based on a popular Borderlands 2 DLC. This game adds the series’ signature loot-and-shoot mechanics to a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired setting.
Although the potential sale of Gearbox is still in the exploratory phase, given Embracer’s recent trend of offloading studios, it would not be surprising to see Gearbox under new ownership or operating as an independent studio once again in the near future.
| Original Content | Paraphrased Content |
|---|---|
| Embracer Group is working with Goldman Sachs and Aream & Co to explore a sale of Gearbox Entertainment. | Embracer Group has enlisted the assistance of Goldman Sachs and Aream & Co to investigate the possibility of selling Gearbox Entertainment. |
| The potential buyers include two international gaming groups. | Potential buyers consist of two gaming groups from overseas. |
| Embracer acquired Gearbox for $1.3 billion just two years ago. | Embracer purchased Gearbox for a staggering $1.3 billion a mere two years ago. |
| Embracer’s failure to reach a deal with Savvy Games Group has led to a drastic restructuring. | Embracer’s inability to strike a deal with Savvy Games Group has resulted in a significant restructuring. |
| Crystal Dynamics and Volition, responsible for games like Tomb Raider and Saints Row, were closed down during Embracer’s restructuring. | Embracer’s restructuring led to the closure of Crystal Dynamics and Volition, the studios behind popular games such as Tomb Raider and Saints Row. |
| Gearbox released Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, a spin-off game based on a Borderlands 2 DLC. | Gearbox launched Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, a spin-off game inspired by a Borderlands 2 DLC. |
Source: DOTESPORTS
