Borderlands 3 developer Gearbox Entertainment has been bought for $1.3 billion by the Embracer Group.
As first reported by VentureBeat, Gearbox Entertainment will be acquired by the Sweden-based Embracer Group which, at the time of writing, has over 5,500 employees worldwide. Gearbox's two studios, in Texas and Quebec City, Canada, will be added to that enormous roster of employees.
In the wake of the acquisition, Gearbox has plans to expand at both internal studios, and will be looking to develop both existing and new IP going forward. However, it has been confirmed by 2K that they will continue to publish games in the Borderlands series.
In a statement sent to GamesRadar, a 2K spokesperson said: “As the proud publisher of the Borderlands franchise, we are happy for our partners at Gearbox and this exciting new chapter for their organization. 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.”
Meanwhile, Gearbox co-founder Randy Pitchford commented on the deal with Embracer: "The feeling at Gearbox is that we are just getting started and this transaction is not merely a stimulant for the talent of our employee-owned company, but a propellent for the exciting future we have planned."
It's been confirmed that Pitchford will retain his role as head of Gearbox Software, a position he's held since he helped found the company in 1999.
Gearbox Software is just the latest in a very long line of acquisitions by Embracer Group. Over the last few years, the company has acquired THQ Nordic, Koch Media/Deep Silver, Coffee Stain AB, Amplifier Game Invest, Saber Interactive, and more. According to the original report from VentureBeat, Embracer Group now has 57 internal game development studios spread out across over 40 countries.
For our list of the ever-changing Shift Codes in Borderlands 3, you can head over to our complete Borderlands 3 Shift Codes guide for more.
