Just three years after being acquired by Embracer, Gearbox is going private again. Obviously, Borderlands 4 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands 2 are suffering the consequences.
The Embracer Group, also known as the monsters of video games, is known for wreaking havoc in the industry. For several years there have been numerous restructurings in the subsidiaries, which were accompanied by dismantling, resales and layoffs. The loss of a $2 billion contract with Saudi Arabia also triggered a veritable earthquake within the company. Some of the studios like Gearbox (Borderlands, Tiny Tina’s Wonderland) are affected so badly that their future projects are in jeopardy?
Will the gearbox be resold soon?
Recall that Embracer made several large acquisitions in 2021 such as Gearbox Software. Duke bought Nukem Forever and Borderlands Studio for $1.3 billion. However, according to some rumors, the studio is already in the process of parting ways with the ogre. And it could be sold as Saber Interactive. “Many options are being considered, such as a transfer from Gearbox, independence and other options” said Dan Hewitt, communications manager, in an internal email intercepted by journalist Jason Schreier (via Bloomberg).
A necessary separation? The layoffs in 2023 left their mark and the employees who escaped had to face their salaries being frozen. Some employees left the company in advance, others stayed to continue working on Gearbox projects. But after all that, the studio had to give up “exciting new projects and licenses” to focus on Borderlands and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.
Good news for Borderlands and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Encouraging for Borderlands 4? There is nothing official at the moment. Even though we’ve heard about the project several times, including in a teaser from Randy Pitchford. “I know what we’re working on and… it’s the best thing we’ve ever done.” explained the studio’s co-founder a few days ago. In any case, the game would have been affected by the rework, and the direction of the project would have changed over time. The team’s current goal will be to complete Borderlands 4.
Is there an internal delay to be expected? We will see. With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands 2, however, things get complicated. If you believe Kotaku, the project would have undergone a soft reboot. However, this would not have had a major impact on the progression of his development.
Let’s see where this breakup with Embracer will lead. But it could give Gearbox new momentum and allow the studio to launch more franchises. The future of the video game ogre is still uncertain, as is the future viability of its subsidiaries.
