Embracer Group has just announced its divestment from Gearbox Entertainment for $460 million, and the fate of Borderlands franchise, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Homeworld, and Risk of Rain are now secure.
The rise and fall of Embracer Group has been one of the bloodiest parts of a bloody chapter in video game history. What started as a concerted effort on Embracer’s part to curate hundreds of staple IPs under one umbrella turned into a mess of layoffs and canceled projects. One of the franchises in limbo was the Borderlands franchise.
Plans for the sale of the Borderlands franchise reportedly started as early as September 2023 despite the series being visible enough to warrant a high-profile movie adaptation. While there were concerns and questions aplenty from fans of the looter shooter, it’s now clear what’s next for the Borderlands franchise as well as other notable names under Gearbox Entertainment’s umbrella.
2K Games’ parent company now owns Borderlands, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands IPs
Embracer Group confirmed that it sold off most of Gearbox Entertainment’s operations as well as the IP rights of Borderlands, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Risk of Rain, and Duke Nukem to Take-Two Interactive Entertainment, Inc.
Take-Two Interactive was one of the most popular choices among Borderlands fans to “save” Gearbox Entertainment from Embracer Group. 2K Games has been the publisher of the Borderlands series since the first game.
The acquisition by Take-Two Interactive means the team will be familiar with its new owner. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford only has positive things to say about the acquisition, having worked with the publisher for years.
“Joining forces with Take-Two Interactive/2K will help Gearbox ascend to our next level,” Pitchford said in a statement.
Embracer Group continues to struggle in a very public manner, laying off developers by the hundreds while closing studios. The holding company remains massive however, as it retains ownership of numerous video game studios including Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montreal, as well as other media enterprises like Dark Horse Comics and Middle-earth Enterprises.
Will Borderlands 4 happen?
Gearbox Entertainment’s CEO teased Borderlands 4 in February 2024, but the game has not yet been officially confirmed.
It’s worth noting that the acquisition process for Gearbox will not close until June 2024. While Take-Two and Gearbox are likely in talks about the franchise’s future, more significant news probably won’t arrive until after the deal’s closure. Fans can be optimistic, however.
“We’re working on something…It’s the greatest thing we’ve ever done. And I can’t wait, but it’s not time yet. It’s not time yet. There will be a time,” Pitchford told IGN in an interview.
It’s possible the “time” may come very soon. After all, the Borderlands movie comes out in August 2024, a month after the Embracer deal’s closure. If ever there was a time to announce something big for the Borderlands franchise, that would be it as far as fans are concerned.