Take-Two Acquires Gearbox Software for $460 million

Embracer bought Gearbox for $1.3 billion and sold it off for almost around 1/3rd of that price.

Shades of Yahoo and Google back in the day.
$188 million in cash.
$175 million in Embracer shares.
The rest over 5 years, in a mixture of cash and shares, depending on whether they hit sales goals. Potentially another $655 million in cash, but I think it's safe to say that if Gearbox had hit the sales numbers needed to earn that bonus, they wouldn't have been sold off for such a relatively small amount.
 


$188 million in cash.
$175 million in Embracer shares.
The rest over 5 years, in a mixture of cash and shares, depending on whether they hit sales goals. Potentially another $655 million in cash, but I think it's safe to say that if Gearbox had hit the sales numbers needed to earn that bonus, they wouldn't have been sold off for such a relatively small amount.
I guess the devil is in the details. This is not as bad a deal as it initially seemed. In fact, this is good for Embracer because they desperately need cash.
 
Last edited:
Good for gaming, Embracer is gutted at this point and has no value left imo. So happy I got out of that stock before the crash.
 
If this means we get a fun & raunchy Duke Nukem a few years from now? Then I, for one, welcome our new Take-Two overlords.
Same for Borderlands.
 
I guess the devil is in the details. This is not as bad a deal as it initially seemed. In fact, this is good for Embracer because they desperately need cash.
I mean Gearbox got $175mil in Embracer shares, lol. $460mil in Take 2 stock ain't that bad of a deal at this time in 2024.
 
Embracer bought Gearbox for $1.3 billion and sold it off for almost around 1/3rd of that price.

Shades of Yahoo and Google back in the day.

Talk about a crazy bad deal.

You've got to wonder what the point of the Embracer expansion was since they didn't seem all that focused on getting games out or utilizing the IP they purchased. Must have figured residuals from the existing games would be that good.
 
That $1.3 billion acquisition costs was insane to begin with. The only IP that has sustained success is Borderlands. The rest are dead IPs or dont do great.

They should be lucky to have even got $460M for the studios they shed.
 
Does this mean the Volition folks go along with them to Take-Two?
Some good and very experienced developers in that group (and some awful designers who came up with Saints Row reboot).
 
Isn't there a Borderlands movie coming out? I'd imagine if the movie was any good they probably wouldn't want to sell it.

This might mean the movie is shit.
 
I wish they'd make something else that ISN'T Borderlands. It's wild that they haven't attempted to make a satire soaked Duke Nukem game.
 
Hold on... so they went into a store, that has Eidos Interactive on the shelf too, that had Tomb Raidder, Dues Ex, Legacy of Kain, and Hitman....

and they walked out with gearbox and borderlands?

What am I missing here?
 
Honestly Surprised they bought them to begin with. The Borderlands IP was not part of the deal (Still with 2K/Take Two) and i don't really think Gearbox has anything of worth besides that
 
Hold on... so they went into a store, that has Eidos Interactive on the shelf too, that had Tomb Raidder, Dues Ex, Legacy of Kain, and Hitman....

and they walked out with gearbox and borderlands?

What am I missing here?
The free USB drive
 
Last edited:
Hold on... so they went into a store, that has Eidos Interactive on the shelf too, that had Tomb Raidder, Dues Ex, Legacy of Kain, and Hitman....

and they walked out with gearbox and borderlands?

What am I missing here?
Eidos/CD has several potentially lucrative deals tied up with Amazon and Microsoft. They are probably not for sell.

Also Gearbox was a Merger, not an acquisition. Don't think any downsizing can be done without Randy's approval anyway.
 
Last edited:
The only thing I ever cared about from them was brother in arms and that's been killed off for a long time.
 
As long as Homeworld is safe...
Well, does Take Two wanna continue that tiny franchise? I doubt that :(. Since the new game is almost complete, let's hope it will be published.

  • The divested assets include:
    • Gearbox Software (Frisco, Texas)
    • Gearbox Montréal
    • Gearbox Studio Quebec
    • Borderlands and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands franchises, as well as Homeworld, Risk of Rain, Brothers in Arms and Duke Nukem
Btw give Duke Nukem to People Can Fly. They are quite competent in the loudmouth/coolguy, I make you eat your own teeth kinda gameplay that Duke nukem represents.
 
Last edited:
Would be nice to get a new Duke Nukem at some point, but I don't expect it. At least Gearbox got out of Embracer.
 
Good news...for Gearbox. Left a sinking ship before it sank.

And knowing Gearbox's latest commercial failures, if they continued at Embracer...they would be next on the list to close.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom