The Future of Gearbox Games Looks Bright with Embracer Group Merger

Gearbox Leveled Up!

I learned that the Gearbox Entertainment Company joined the Embracer Group today. This is great news for Gearbox as this will propel the company in the direction that it is growing in.  Most folks still see Gearbox as the software company, the folks that made Borderlands. But for a while now they have been moving into the publishing space. With Gearbox Publishing they have launched a lot of great indie games these last few years.

Joining the Embracer group provides them the resources to continue to grow and become a self-sustained publisher. Giving them the capabilities to self-publish their own games.  Because Gearbox is going to be the 7th operating group as a wholly owned subsidiary of Embracer. So while they work on the Embracer flag they still function as their own company.

The Future of Gearbox

Randy Pitchford mentioned like  4 years ago that GBX wants to self-publish the next Brothers in Arms game. The merger with the Embracer Group provides  Gearbox with the funds to develop a triple-A title themselves. Therefore, they are no longer reliant on the money of publishers like 2K Games to develop blockbuster games.

Gearbox owns a lot of great IPs. Borderlands, Battleborn, Brothers in Arms, Duke Nukem, and Homeworld. It would be great to see them make new games in those franchises. Gearbox has been working on Brothers in Arms stuff. The news that there will be a BiA tv series only confirms that they want to grow that IP. But not just Brothers in Arms, Gearbox wants to give Battleborn a future and they didn’t buy Duke Nukem so they could bring Duke Nukem Forever to the market. Gearbox Software was buying strong IPs so that they have a portfolio to work with.

The Future of Borderlands

When I check my social feed, I see folks “confirming” more Borderlands content. However, I don’t directly see this. Yes, Gearbox could inject more funds from its own into the franchise. However, while Gearbox owns the IP, 2K Games is still the exclusive publisher.

In an investor call following the announcement, Gearbox President Randy Pitchford clarified that they would still be working with its long-term publishing partner 2K on “known and planned” Borderlands content.  However, rather than needing a bag of money, they would go to 2K for their expertise. Because looking at the marketing campaigns that GBX Publishing has done and 2K Games, the latter shows to have more expertise.

2K Games also clarifies they still remain the publisher of Borderlands and will continue to work with Gearbox.

The merger does not change 2K’s relationship with Gearbox nor our role as the publisher for the Borderlands IP or any other projects we are currently working on with the studio. We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with this incredibly talented team and delivering many more exciting entertainment experiences to gaming fans around the world.

2K Games

There is still a lot in store for Borderlands and with both parties still in it together, I don’t think we will see a lot of big changes there.

Conclusion

• Big win for Gearbox
• Borderlands is still there
• Bigger opportunities for other GBX franchises to shine