Saber Interactive Leaves Embracer, Taking 38 Games

Saber Interactive, known for its game development expertise, has officially separated from Embracer Group, handing over 38 game projects and over 3,000 staff members to a newly formed company called Beacon Interactive. This fresh entity is led by none other than Saber Interactive's own co-founder, Matthew Karch. This strategic move means that Embracer Group will no longer have any operations in Russia, but it has assured that employment for the affected staff has been preserved.

The transaction, which involved a $247 million deal, also includes potential additional acquisitions - Beacon Interactive has secured the option to acquire 4A Games and Zen Studios at a predetermined cost. Embracer retains publishing rights for future Metro series games through its Plaion group. Several key studios and projects will continue under the Embracer banner. Notably, Embracer is expected to keep future publishing rights for 14 current Saber Interactive titles, including heavy-hitters like Killing Floor 3 and the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake.

Lars Wingefors, Embracer's co-founder and CEO, has expressed that the arrangement is mutually beneficial, emphasizing job security for developers. The divestment of Saber Interactive is purportedly the first in a series of transactions, with rumors of Gearbox, best known for the Borderlands series, potentially being the next. In the wake of Embracer's recent financial issues, the company had laid off a significant number of staff and shelved numerous projects.

What does the Saber Interactive and Embracer Group split mean for future game projects?

The separation allows both parties to focus on and develop their respective pipelines with Saber Interactive entrusting their ongoing projects to Beacon Interactive, while Embracer retains the rights to publish several anticipated titles such as the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake and Killing Floor 3. This reorganization should foster the growth of their upcoming games and franchises under the new structuring.

Background on Embracer Group and Saber Interactive: Embracer Group, originally named THQ Nordic AB, is a Swedish video game holding company founded in 2011. It's known for a significant number of acquisitions within the video game industry, owning multiple publishers and developers. Saber Interactive, established in 2001, is a well-regarded game development studio with titles like World War Z and the remake of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary under its belt. It has gained a reputation for creating engaging games and leveraging existing franchises successfully. The separation of these two entities marks a substantial shift in the video gaming industry structure and will likely have far-reaching effects on their forthcoming video game titles.