Gearbox Entertainment May be Sold Off or Become Independent, Reports Suggest

Gearbox Entertainment, the popular Texas-based game developer and publisher known for series like Borderlands, Remnant, and Homeworld, may be on the verge of a major change. According to recent reports, Embracer Group, the parent company of Gearbox, is considering selling off the studio as part of its restructuring plan.

Embracer Group has gained a reputation for acquiring developers, publishers, and intellectual property in recent years. However, after a deal with the Saudi Arabia government-funded Savvy Games Group fell through, the trend has reversed, with Embracer now laying off developers and closing studios. The most recent casualty was Volition, the Gearbox-owned developer responsible for the popular Saints Row series.

While Embracer Group has not officially commented on the matter, an internal email from Gearbox’s chief communication officer, Dan Hewitt, was leaked to Bloomberg. In the email, Hewitt acknowledges that the possibility of Gearbox being sold off or becoming independent is being considered. He states, “The base case is that Gearbox remains a part of Embracer. However, there are many options under consideration, including Gearbox’s transfer, taking Gearbox independent, and others.”

As of now, no decisions have been made, but the future of Gearbox Entertainment hangs in the balance. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds in the coming weeks and months. Regardless of the outcome, it is clear that Embracer Group’s growth spurt is coming to an end if it is considering parting ways with a successful studio like Gearbox, which has produced hit games like Borderlands 3 and Remnant II.

Sources:

– Reuters: [source]
– Bloomberg (internal email from Dan Hewitt): [source]