After rumours kicked up a few weeks ago around the potential sale of one of Embracer Group’s more prolific assets in Saber Interactive, the deal is now done and confirmed with Saber having been sold off to the tune of $247 million USD. Embracer notes in its announcement that this now means the company has ceased all of its operations in Russia, and has confirmed that the move has safeguarded “many” developer jobs.
Interestingly, the buyer is a company spun up by Saber’s own co-founder, Matthew Karch, dubbed Beacon Interactive.
“Over the past four years, I have been proud to be part of Embracer’s amazing transformation into one of the leading game companies in the world,” said Karch in a press release from Embracer. “As part of the company’s efforts to reorganize for a changed industry and geopolitical challenges, we jointly felt it was the right decision for both Embracer and the core of Saber to part ways. This divestment leaves both parties in much better positions to grow our respective businesses. I will continue to remain a large, long-term shareholder of Embracer and we will remain partners on several ongoing and future projects. This transaction also safeguards the livelihoods of hundreds of professionals, many of whom I have worked with for over two decades.”
Saber’s COO Tim Willits has also confirmed a number of titles that will remain in development after the sale, including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando and Jurassic Park: Survival. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier has also reported that the embattled remake of Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic, which had changed hands from Aspyr to Saber in 2022, will remain with Saber/Beacon but could potentially be a joint project of some description with Embracer.
Embracer’s press release details which studios are leaving with the sale and which are staying under its care, though the list it provides is at odds with reporting from Schreier who shared a letter from Karch to Saber staff which confirms it is also taking Metro developer 4A Games along with Zen Studios:
In a letter to staff obtained by Bloomberg News, new Saber CEO Matt Karch confirms that they’ve already decided to take 4A and Zen, despite messaging from Embracer suggesting that it may retain the two studios: pic.twitter.com/RtYVL9qUUJ
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) March 14, 2024
With that in mind, the studios that have been reported to be joining the newly-formed Beacon Studios are:
- “All Saber branded studios”
- 4A Games
- DIGIC
- Fractured Byte
- Mad Head Games
- New World Interactive
- Nimble Giant
- Saber Interactive Inc.
- Sandbox Strategies
- Slipgate
- 3D Realms
- Zen Studios
While Embracer will retain:
- 34 Big Things
- Aspyr
- Beamdog
- Demiurge
- Shiver
- Snapshot
- Tripwire
- Tuxedo Labs
Embracer has also retained the publishing rights a number of in-development projects, including two joint projects with Beacon Studios, which are:
- The next AAA game from 4A Games
- An unannounced concept phase AAA game
- A previously announced AAA game based on a major license
- A new AAA multiplayer shooter based on a controlled IP
- A new AA game based on an Asmodee IP
- A new AA game from 34 Big Things based on an owned IP
- Killing Floor 3
- Teardown (ongoing development)
- The full upcoming pipeline and back catalog from Zen Studios, Aspyr and Tripwire
