Swedish video game company Embracer Group has acquired not one but multiple companies (including plenty of IP) for an undisclosed sum.
In a series of press releases on its official website, Embracer announced it had acquired Tripwire Interactive (Killing Floor, Maneater, Rising Storm), Tuxedo Labs (Teardown), Singtrix (vocal processing effects tech), physical distributor Limited Run Games and had also secured the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit literary works by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Embracer Group’s acquisition of Tolkien’s universe includes Middle-earth Enterprises – which owns the rights to the video games, board games, merchandise and other related works. Embracer’s operative group Asmodee already has a history licensing The Lord of the Rings board games and card games. Upcoming projects include the Amazon series, an animated LOTR movie, as well as Electronic Arts’ mobile game, The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth.
The acquisition of Limited Run gives Embracer not only gives it the physical publisher, but also access to the Carbon Engine – an internally developed technology that allows for legacy content and highly accurate emluation-based retro games to be released on modern hardware. LRG will continue to operate as an independant subsidiary.
Other companies acquired include Tatsujin (Embracer’s first studio located in Japan – led by Toaplen founder Masahiro Yuge), Swedish studio Bitwave Games (Wunderling DX) and Gioteck – a leading gaming accessory brand. You can read all about these acquisitions on the company’s official website, including the announcement of ‘Embracer Freemode’ – its eleventh operative group comprised of gaming and entertainment companies owned by Embracer.
Embracer Group already has 10 operative groups, 120 studios and over 850 franchises under its belt. Some of the studios include THQ Nordic, Coffee Stain, Gearbox Entertainment, Saber and Dark Horse Media. What are your thoughts about all of this? Comment below.
