While not on the level of Microsoft’s recent acquisitions, Square Enix of Final Fantasy fame has announced that they’ve entered into an agreement to sell Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montréal, and Square Enix Montreal to Embracer Group for $300 million. This deal also includes several IPs, including the Tomb Raider, Thief and Deus Ex properties, as well as Legacy of Kain.
The Swedish media holding company is no stranger to gaming, already owning such companies as THQ Nordic, Koch Media/Deep Silver, Saber Interactive and Gearbox Software. The deal is expected to close later this summer, and reportedly includes “more than 50 back catalogue games” from Square Enix.
In a press release, Embracer Group co-founder and CEO Lars Wingefors stated that the company is “thrilled” with the acquisition. “We recognize the fantastic intellectual property, world class creative talent, and track record of excellence that have been demonstrated time and again over the past decades. It has been a great pleasure meeting the leadership teams and discussing future plans for how they can realize their ambitions and become a great part of Embracer.”
Obviously, the question is just what this means for the previously-mentioned properties. Currently, Crystal Dynamics is working on the next Tomb Raider entry using the Unreal Engine 5. And after Square Enix’s decision to cancel the last Deus Ex game in favour of working on Marvel’s Avengers (despite the former’s acclaimed reception and devoted fanbase), there’s hope that Eidos Montréal could get some traction on a new entry.
And then there’s the Legacy of Kain series, which has been dormant since 2003 (unless you count 2013’s Nosgoth, which never made it to release). Will we finally see a new entry or a reboot in the series, with Embracer Group backing Crystal Dynamics’ efforts? That remains to be seen.
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