THQ Nordic parent company acquires Metro and Insurgency devs, and both are working on new IPs
THQ Nordi and Deep Silver parent company Embracer Group has gone on another shopping spree.
Embracer Group, the parent company of THQ Nordic and several other European game development studios and publishers, has announced a host of new acquisitions this morning.
The company has acquired seven previously independent studios, who will now operate under its various subsidiaries. The Saber Interactive branch, which itself was acquired earlier this year, now wholly owns Insurgency developer New World Interactive, as well as Metro series developer 4A Games.
For New World Interactive, the deal gives Embracer 100% of the studio's shares, including both of its development houses in Denver, Colorado and Calgary, Alberta and their respective teams. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, including the price. With that in mind, Embracer said it expects to recoup this investment over the next three years, as New World's in-development projects are released.
Some of these projects include the console port of Insurgency Sandstorm, targeting release in the first half of 2021, as well as an unannounced a new IP. New World is also expanding, with the plan to add over 50 more staff split across the Calgary studio, and a third yet-to-open studio in Montreal.
Saber is the Embracer arm that likewise now controls 4A Games. The studio's Malta and Ukraine teams are now part of Saber. Embracer paid $36 million upfront as a mix of cash and newly issued B shares. Future earn-out payments of up top $35 million are also promised, contingent on reaching certain milestones.
4A Games is working on two games, one is a AAA, multiplayer new IP and the other is a AAA single-player project, likely to be a Metro sequel. Beyond that, 4A "will continue to explore the Metro franchise" with creator Metro Dmitry Glukhovsky.
Embracer's other gaming acquisitions today also include Pow Wow Entertainment, Palindrome Interactive, Rare Earth Games, Vermila Studios, and Deca Games.