Английская Википедия:Embracer Group

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Embracer Group AB (formerly Nordic Games Licensing AB and THQ Nordic AB) is a Swedish video game and media holding company based in Karlstad. The company consists of 12 "operative groups", which include Amplifier Game Invest, Asmodee, CDE Entertainment, Coffee Stain Studios, Dark Horse Comics, DECA Games, Freemode, Gearbox Software, Plaion, Saber Interactive, THQ Nordic and Middle-earth Enterprises.

Nordic Games Group established Nordic Games Licensing in 2011 as the parent of publisher Nordic Games GmbH. The company has acquired several assets from defunct publishers, beginning with those of JoWooD in 2011 and THQ in 2013. In August 2016, Nordic Games Licensing and its publishing subsidiary changed their names to THQ Nordic AB and THQ Nordic GmbH, utilising the "THQ" trademark that it had acquired in 2014. It was spun out of Nordic Games Group to become a public company in 2016 and was renamed Embracer Group in 2019. Following further acquisitions of numerous assets, it began restructuring and closing studios in 2023 after an expected Шаблон:USD investment fell through.

History

The original Nordic Games (1990s–2004)

The Swedish entrepreneur Lars Wingefors started several sales businesses during his teenage years, including the second-hand comic book seller LW Comics at age 13, which made close to Шаблон:SEK annually.[1][2] At age 16, Wingefors founded Nordic Games to sell used video games. In its first year, the company generated Шаблон:SEK in revenue. With growing income throughout the 1990s, Nordic Games was turned into a retail chain—in the same vein as British video game retail company Game—and opened seven stores across Sweden.[1] The company also acquired Spel- & Tele shopen, a game shop in Linköping, Sweden, that Pelle Lundborg had founded four years earlier.[3]

Towards the end of the 1990s, Nordic Games was suffering from a poor corporate structure, and Wingefors was asked to either seek new partners or bring in venture capital, though he instead opted to sell the company to Gameplay Stockholm, the Swedish subsidiary of Europe-wide retailer Gameplay.com, in March 2000 for Gameplay.com stock valued at Шаблон:GBP.[1][4] Under Gameplay, Nordic Games failed to generate much revenue; the company tried to establish mobile game, digital distribution and cable TV box businesses, all of which did not gain traction.[1] When the dot-com bubble burst, Gameplay faced financial issues, and Nordic Games was sold back to Wingefors in May 2001 for a symbolic sum of Шаблон:SEK (at the time equivalent to Шаблон:GBP).[1][5][6] Wingefors brought in venture capitalists and reformed the company to only sell newly released games, but the company faced strong competition and finally filed for bankruptcy in 2004.[1]

The new Nordic Games (2004–2011)

Wingefors invested the money he had left into a new limited company and, together with potential customers acting as investors, reformed Nordic Games under the name Game Outlet Europe.[1] The new company saw success with purchasing unsold stock from larger video game companies, such as Electronic Arts, repackaging them on pallets in its Karlstad headquarters, and selling them on the international market and through other retail chains, such as Jula, Coop, and ICA.[1][2] In December 2008, a new company with the name Nordic Games Publishing was established as the video game publishing subsidiary of Game Outlet Europe.[3] The subsidiary started out with seven people, including primary shareholder Wingefors, based in Karlstad, and chief executive officer Lundborg, who had since moved to Málaga with his wife.[3][7] Nik Blower in London was added to the management team in February 2010.[3][8]

The idea behind Nordic Games Publishing was to invest in the development of games that would fill gaps in the video game market; Wingefors and Lundborg had noticed that the line-up of games for Nintendo platforms was lacking karaoke games similar to SingStar, which was exclusive to PlayStation consoles.[3] Based on 100-page requirement documents from Nintendo, which included that the game's microphones should be produced by Logitech, and four months of research at a karaoke bar in Watford, England, Nordic Games Publishing assembled a song list for the game and started producing what would later become We Sing.[3] Around this time, Nordic Games Publishing also released Dance Party Club Hits, a dance game that came packaged with a dancing mat.[3] In 2009, Nordic Games Publishing had a turnover of Шаблон:SEK, of which 75% were accounted for by We SingШаблон:'s sales.[3] For 2010, the company projected a turnover of Шаблон:SEK, while at the same time, Lundborg was looking for new investors in the company to make it independent from Game Outlet Europe.[3] By March 2011, Nordic Games Holding had been established as a holding company, with Game Outlet Europe and Nordic Games Publishing aligned as its subsidiaries.[1]

International expansion (2011–2018)

Файл:THQ Nordic logo 2016.svg
Former logo of THQ Nordic AB (2016–2019)

In June 2011, Nordic Games Holding acquired the assets of insolvent publisher JoWooD Entertainment and its subsidiaries.[9][10] The acquired assets were transferred to Nordic Games GmbH, a newly established subsidiary office in Vienna, Austria.[11] Several former JoWooD employees were hired by Nordic Games GmbH to work on backlog sales of former JoWooD properties, and Nordic Games Publishing was integrated into Nordic Games GmbH to facilitate operations.[12] Nordic Games Licensing AB, also established in 2011, became the holding company within Nordic Games Holding (later known as Nordic Games Group), as well as the parent company of Nordic Games GmbH.[13][14] In April 2013, Nordic Games Licensing acquired several assets of bankrupt publisher THQ to be managed by Nordic Games GmbH.[13]

In June 2014, Nordic Games Licensing acquired the "THQ" trademark, intending to use the name as a publishing label for its THQ properties.[15] Subsequently, in August 2016, the company changed its name to THQ Nordic AB, while Nordic Games GmbH became THQ Nordic GmbH.[15][16] According to Wingefors and THQ Nordic GmbH's Reinhard Pollice, the name change was undergone to capitalise on the good reputation of THQ's past, although they avoided naming the companies just "THQ" to avoid connections to THQ's more recent, troubled history being made.[15] On 22 November 2016, THQ Nordic undertook its initial public offering and became a public company listed on the Nasdaq First North stock exchange, being valuated at Шаблон:SEK, while Wingefors retained a 50% ownership in the company.[17]

In February 2018, THQ Nordic acquired Koch Media Holding, the parent company of Austrian media company Koch Media, which in turn owned and operated the Deep Silver video game label, for Шаблон:€.[18] Koch Media was set to operate independently under THQ Nordic, separate from THQ Nordic GmbH.[18] To better reflect its holding function and to avoid confusion between THQ Nordic and its Viennese office, THQ Nordic stated that it planned to rename itself.[18] In June 2018, the company issued 7.7 million new Class B shares to raise Шаблон:US$, which would be used for future acquisitions.[19] In November 2018, THQ Nordic acquired Coffee Stain Holding, the Swedish holding company that houses developer Coffee Stain Studios and affiliated companies, for Шаблон:SEK in cash consideration.[20] Coffee Stain became THQ Nordic's "third leg", operating independently like Koch Media.[20] Through the two acquisitions and continued sales from THQ Nordic GmbH, THQ Nordic's net sales rose by 713%, to Шаблон:US$, in the 2018 fiscal year.[21] In December 2018, gaming business website GamesIndustry.biz named Wingefors as one of their People of the Year 2018.[7] In February 2019, THQ Nordic issued 11 million new Class B shares, raising Шаблон:SEK (Шаблон:US$).[22]

Rebranding as Embracer Group and further acquisitions (2019–2022)

At the end of its first fiscal quarter of 2019, THQ Nordic acquired Game Outlet Europe from Nordic Games Group, which was also controlled by the founders of THQ Nordic, for Шаблон:SEK.[23] In August 2019, the company acquired investment company Goodbye Kansas Game Invest (GKGI) for Шаблон:SEK.[24] GKGI held minority investments in five startup developers—Palindrome Interactive, Fall Damage, Neon Giant, Kavalri Games and Framebunker—as well as royalty rights to the THQ Nordic GmbH-published Biomutant.[24] GKGI's investments in Bearded Dragons, Goodbye Kansas VR and IGDB were retained by its previous parent company, Goodbye Kansas.[24] GKGI had been founded in 2016 and by the time of the acquisition had four full-time employees.[25] To avoid further confusion with THQ Nordic GmbH and clarify its position as a holding company, THQ Nordic assumed the name "Embracer Group" at its annual general meeting on 17 September 2019, while the branch in Vienna retained its name.[26][27]

GKGI was rebranded Amplifier Game Invest in January 2020 to better reflect its new ownership under Embracer Group.[28] Embracer acquired Saber Interactive and its five internal studios in February 2020 for a total of Шаблон:USD, making Saber the fifth direct subsidiary of Embracer.[29] Embracer raised Шаблон:US$ in April 2020, to be used for future expansion.[30] In August 2020, DECA Games became the sixth direct subsidiary under Embracer and will maintain autonomy under the deal.[31] Quality assurance company Quantic Lab was acquired in November 2020 among other acquisitions.[32]

Embracer Group announced three major acquisitions in February 2021: The Gearbox Entertainment Company including Gearbox Software for a price of Шаблон:US$ for which it will become the seventh major holding label within Embracer,[33] Easybrain for Шаблон:US$ which will become the eighth major holding label,[34] The acquisitions were formally completed in April 2021.[35] The company began issuing additional stock in March 2021 to raise another Шаблон:USD to strengthen its finances and continue its acquisition strategies.[36]

In December 2021, Embracer launched its intent to acquire Asmodee for €2.75 billion, as to incorporate it wholly as Embracer's ninth operational group and allowing Embracer to expand into the board game market.[37] That same month, Embracer also acquired Perfect World Entertainment, including its publishing arm and Cryptic Studios, from the Perfect World holding group and Perfect World Europe, for Шаблон:USD. Once approved, Perfect World Entertainment would become part of the Gearbox division.[38] It further acquired Dark Horse Media, the parent company for Dark Horse Comics and Dark Horse Entertainment, establishing Dark Horse as its tenth operating division.[39][38]

Шаблон:AnchorIn May 2022, Square Enix and Embracer Group entered into an agreement for Embracer to purchase several assets of Square Enix Europe for Шаблон:USD. These include development studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montreal, and intellectual properties such as Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain, and more than 50 others, with the deal expected to be completed in the second quarter of Embracer's financial year.[40][41] The acquisition was closed by August 26, 2022, with the assets being held under CDE Entertainment which is headed from a London office by Phil Rogers, former CEO of Square Enix Americas and Europe.[42][43] On October 10, 2022, Square Enix Montréal rebranded as Onoma,[44] but Embracer shuttered the studio and the group's QA team in November 2022 as part of a cost-cutting measure.[45][46]

Additionally, in May 2022, the company established the Embracer Games Archive, a video game preservation effort, using its library of games as well as from other parties. The Archive was established physically in Karlstad, Sweden, with over 50,000 games already within it, and Embracer plans to eventually make parts of the archive available online for research purposes.[47] The Savvy Gaming Group, an entity wholly owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, invested about Шаблон:USD into Embracer in June 2022, amounting to about 8% of the company's ownership.[48]

In August 2022, Embracer Group acquired Bitwave Games, Gioteck, Limited Run Games, Singtrix, Tatsujin Co. (which owns the intellectual properties to Toaplan games), Tripwire Interactive, and Tuxedo Labs, all to operate under the Freemode operating group,[49] as well as the intellectual property rights to video games based on Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit intellectual properties by acquiring Middle-earth Enterprises.[50][51]

Embracer Group was approved to be listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in December 2022, transitioning from Nasdaq First North Growth Market to Nasdaq Stockholm on December 22, 2022.[52]

Failed deal and restructuring (2023–present)

In June 2023, Embracer Group announced a large-scale restructuring program focused on cost savings, capital allocation, efficiency, and consolidation, which will include staff layoffs, studio closures or divestments, and game project cancellations or suspensions with immediate implementation into phases until March 2024.[53] This was due to a $2 billion deal falling through; according to Axios, this deal had been with the Savvy Games Group, but fell through at the last moment.[54] The company closed THQ Nordic studio Campfire Cabal in June, Plaion studios Volition in August, and Free Radical Design in December.[55][56][57] Other studios were subject to layoffs.[58][59] By November, Embracer had laid off 904 employees, roughly 5% of their workforce, and cancelled at least fifteen projects. As a result, Embracer reduced its debt from $2 to $1.5 billion, though warned that further layoffs and studio closures were likely.[60]

Subsidiaries and its acquisitions

Шаблон:See also As of September 2023, Embracer Group has 129 internal game development studios and is engaging more than 15,000 employees and contracted employees in more than 40 countries.[61][62]

In December 2019, the company, through GKGI, acquired Swedish developer Tarsier Studios for Шаблон:SEK. The deal included the studio's 65 employees and intellectual property, excluding Little Nightmares and The Stretchers, which remained with their respective owners.[63]

Also in January 2020, Amplifier opened River End Games, in Gothenburg, Sweden, and C77 Entertainment in Seattle, United States; two development studios, each with veterans from game studios of the respective areas.[64][65] Embracer Group announced seven acquisitions in August 2020: 4A Games and New World Interactive via Saber Interactive ; Palindrome Interactive, Rare Earth Games and Vermila Studios via Amplifier Game Invest; Pow Wow Entertainment via THQ Nordic.[66] The group, under Koch Films, also acquired Sola Media, a Stuttgart-based television-and-film licensing group focusing on children and family properties.[66][67]

In November 2020, Embracer Group announced the acquisition of twelve companies: 34BigThings, Mad Head Games, Nimble Giant Entertainment, Snapshot Games and Zen Studios via Saber Interactive; A Thinking Ape Entertainment and IUGO Mobile Entertainment via DECA Games; Flying Wild Hog via Koch Media; Purple Lamp Studios via THQ Nordic; Silent Games via Amplifier Game Invest; and public relations company Sandbox Strategies via Saber Interactive.[32] THQ Nordic CEO Klemens Kreuzer stated that while large number of acquisitions were driven by the individual divisions under Embracer Group, the move represented part of the portfolio diversity of games that the company wanted to have, in contrast to larger publishers like Electronic Arts which have banked on only a few keystone titles.[68]

In April 2021, Aspyr Media was acquired by Saber Interactive for Шаблон:US$.[69] In May 2021, the company announced the acquisition of Appeal Studios, Kaiko, and Massive Miniteam under its THQ Nordic subsidiary, which has also established Gate 21 d.o.o. to enable the creation of "world-class 3D characters", as well as acquired Frame Break under its Amplifier Game Invest subsidiary. Massive Miniteam will be fully integrated within the HandyGames organisation, under the operative group THQ Nordic.[70]

Embracer acquired several more companies in the beginning of August 2021, including CrazyLabs under DECA Games, and Grimfrost under the Partner Publishing and Film division; 3D Realms and Slipgate Ironworks via Saber Interactive; Easy Trigger and Ghost Ship Games via Coffee Stain Holding; DigixArt via Koch Media; Force Field via Vertigo Games, under a combined Шаблон:USD deal.[71] On 18 August 2021, Embracer announced the acquisition of three more companies including Demiurge Studios, Fractured Byte and SmartPhone Labs, all via Saber Interactive.[72] Within October 2022, Plaion acquired Anime Limited in Glasgow, Scotland,[73] and Asmodee acquired the VR Group.[74]

On 4 January 2023, Gearbox Entertainment acquired Captured Dimensions, a Texas-based technology company specializing in 3D capture, scanning, and reconstruction services.[75] On 10 January 2023, Amplifier Game Invest opened Studio Hermitage in Raleigh, North Carolina with a goal of creating new IPs for a wide range of platforms and formats.[76]

In February 2024, it was reported that Embracer Group was selling Saber Interactive to a group of private investors for US$500 million.[77] Mere hours after it was reported that the sale of Saber was nearing completion, it was also reported that Embracer Group was nearing a possible sale of Gearbox Entertainment.[78]

Шаблон:Div col

Шаблон:Div col end

Former subsidiaries

  • Foxglove Studios (founded by THQ Nordic in 2016, divested in 2019)
  • Square Enix Montréal (acquired by CDE Entertainment in August 2022, closed in November 2022)
  • Plucky Bytes (founded by Amplifier Game Invest in November 2020, closed in 2023)
  • Vermila Studios (acquired by Amplifer Game Invest in August 2020, divested in 2023)
  • Campfire Cabal (founded by THQ Nordic in September 2022, closed in August 2023)
  • Goose Byte (founded by Amplifier Game Invest in December 2021, divested in August 2023)
  • Volition (acquired by Deep Silver in January 2013, closed in August 2023)
  • Free Radical Design (founded by Deep Silver in May 2021, closed in December 2023)

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Embracer Group

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