Square Enix sells Western division to Embracer Group ($300 million)

Jesse

Jesse

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Embracer Group AB (”Embracer”) has entered into an agreement to acquire the development studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montréal, and a catalogue of IPs including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain and more than 50 back-catalogue games from SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (“Square Enix Holdings”). In total, the acquisition includes ~1,100 employees across three studios and eight global locations. The total purchase price amounts to USD 300 million on a cash and debt free basis, to be paid in full at closing. Embracer has secured additional long-term debt funding commitments for this and other transactions in the pipeline. Transaction likely to close between July-September 2022. ​

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link: https://embracer.com/release/embrac...nd-square-enix-montreal-amongst-other-assets/

Interesting to note is that SE is keeping the Just Cause, Life is Strange, and Outriders IP.
 
They released a statement somewhere clarifying that they plan to keep these developers working on their existing AAA series as well as new ones. Hoping Tomb Raider isn't negatively affected as that's my favorite of the series they've just acquired. Meaning... I hope the new game will still release on PS5 at the same time as other platforms with all the same content. No more of this Rise of the TR bull crap from the Square days.
 
This comes a bit surprising to me but I think it's a business decision which makes sense from Square Enix' point of view.
 
I've always found it weird to see Eidos content related to S-E - Like when S-E have a sale and then it's just Eidos games - I just don't associate the two together. Hopefully this will let them give another crack at Deus Ex.
 
I hate to be a drab, but I get this feeling now that Tomb Raider has been sold to Embracer we'll either see production values fall, or end up like Dead Island 2 and get thrown from developer to developer because they "don't agree" with their direction for the franchise.
 
Sonoshee said:
I get this feeling now that Tomb Raider has been sold to Embracer we'll either see production values fall
Click to expand...
Honestly, that sounds like a good thing for my tastes, as the post-Underworld games started to look way too AAA imo. I get this is a strange thing to say when the series has always been AAA, relative to industry standards at time of release and all that.
 
Apparently, the Embracer group is talking about doing remakes and remasters of their new found library which include the older Tomb Raider titles:

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/202...x-remakes-and-remasters-could-come-to-ps5-ps4

That actually has me a bit excited as it's something I expected from Square for the 25th anniversary of Tomb Raider last year. Of course, they did next to nothing. Seems Embracer group is on the right path.
 
I am normaly not impressed at all by such acquisitions but in theory it is always good when old franchises get second chance.

It remains to be seen of course of the Embracer group can do this old games justice.

I hope I am going to be wrong but in general such big comapanies are not known to make good games with a "soul".
 
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