Take-Two to close deal to acquire Gearbox

Rockstar Games parent Take-Two Interactive is working on closing a deal with the much-maligned Embracer Group, acquiring Gearbox Software for $460 million. The soon-to-be-acquired studio joins the 2K division.

In a press release, it was revealed that rights to Gearbox, Gearbox Montreal, Gearbox Studio Quebec, and the likes of Borderlands, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Homeworld, Risk of Rain, Brothers in Arms, and Duke Nukem have been divested to the New York game dev. Meanwhile, Gearbox Publishing San Francisco, which is poised to be renamed, the publishing rights to Remnant, Hyper Light Breaker, some unannounced games, Cryptic Studios, Lost Boys Interactive, and Captured Dimensions will all remain within Embracer’s group of studios.

The deal is expected to close in June, and part of the press release revealed it has at least “one exciting new intellectual property” in the works. This isn’t counting the Homeworld game or the all-but-confirmed Borderlands 4. This change in ownership isn’t that shocking, though, considering the two devs have had a close relationship held together by the Borderlands series, as 2K has acted as the series’ publisher since day one.