Embracer Group is reportedly looking to sell Gearbox

Swedish holding company Embracer Group is said to be looking to sell Borderlands developer Gearbox Software, with several unnamed companies reportedly interested.

The details:

• Embracer Group is considering selling the studio, according to Reuters (via MarketScreener), after receiving interest from "international gaming groups." As reported by the publication, "three people familiar with the matter" have shared details of the situation, though it has been made clear that it is currently only a consideration and that Gearbox could remain under Embracer.
• Embracer purchased Gearbox in 2021 for up to $1.4 billion, and the company has since developed and published several titles including Remnant II, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, and the upcoming Homeworld 3. Embracer's other studios, including Eidos Shanghai and the now-defunct Volition, were also moved under the Gearbox umbrella for undisclosed reasons.
• After a $2 billion partnership fell through, the holding company announced a restructuring program that would result in the closure of studios and the cancellation of unannounced projects to focus on cost reduction and efficiency. According to Axios, the deal occurred between Embracer and the Saudi-funded Savvy Games Group, which currently owns 8.08% of the company, before it collapsed after seven months of discussions.

More gaming news:

• The Chinese Room, a UK-based developer, has taken over production of the long-awaited RPG Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. The game was originally assigned to Hardsuit Labs, but after numerous delays and internal issues, Paradox Interactive dropped the studio from the project in 2021.
• Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida has stated that Square Enix has no plans to make the MMORPG free to play and will instead continue to expand the game's generous free trial over time. Without a subscription, players can currently play the base game and its first two expansions for free.