Embracer Group to Acquire Various Square Enix Assets

Square Enix, the company behind games and series such as the “Kingdom Hearts” and “Final Fantasy” series, “Tomb Raider” series, and the more recent Marvel “Avengers” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” games, and many more, have recently reached an agreement with Embracer Group, a parent company to an incredibly wide range of media from comic books to video games, and more, to bring a large number of titles under their umbrella from Square Enix. Below, we’ve gone into detail on who exactly Embracer Group are, what they already have under their umbrella, as well as what assets Embracer Group has been set to acquire from Square Enix.

Embracer Group

Formerly known as, THQ Nordic, the company had changed its name in order to separate itself from different operations under the same umbrella that also used THQ Nordic as its name. THQ Nordic could be associated with game series such as “Darksiders”, “MX Vs ATV”, “Remnant: From the Ashes” and so many other widely known series, and some slightly lesser-known. There are currently a total of 119 studios and over 850 franchises within 10 operative groups underneath the overall Embracer Group umbrella, and with all of the assets set for Embracer Group to acquire from Square Enix, those numbers will increase even more.

Square Enix Assets Acquired by Embracer Group

A total of three Square Enix studios have been set to be acquired by Embracer Group as part of the assets acquired from the company including Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal. While each studio has at least one, notable, standout title that exists in the AAA realm of games, each studio could be noted overall for its impressive dedication to creating something highly original, even from an already existing media or franchise.

Crystal Dynamics

Crystal Dynamics could be associated with games and series such as original IPs “Legacy of Kain”, “Gex”, more recently “Marvel’s Avengers”, and “Lara Croft” and the greater “Tomb Raider” series which has been highlighted very heavily in the press release regarding Embracer Group’s acquired assets from Square Enix. Crystal Dynamics is currently working on several different titles for future release, including a reboot of the “Perfect Dark” series, originally by Rare which was purchased by Xbox years back, and the next “Tomb Raider” as well.

Eidos Montreal

Eidos Montreal, another studio that has had its hand in the “Tomb Raider” series with “Shadow of the Tomb Raider”, hosts other AAA series such as “Thief”, “Deus Ex”, and “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy”. Out of the studios listed in the acquisition, Eidos Montreal houses the lesser of AAA titles, compared to Crystal Dynamics’ longer existence and larger titles and Square Enix Montreal’s focus on mobile consumers. While all three studios are sister studios underneath the larger Square Enix umbrella, the studios work closely on titles such as “Tomb Raider” and thankfully with Embracer Group’s acquisition, they can continue to do so when the $300 million deal finalizes when it’s likely to in the second quarter of Embracer financial 2022/2023, July-September.

Square Enix Montreal to be Embracer Group Montreal?

As stated above, Square Enix Montreal has been expected to change its name when the Square Enix assets are officially acquired by Embracer Group, has a stronger focus on mobile titles, of existing IPs and franchises, but has intentions to grow its influence in the mobile space in the future. Specifically, Square Enix Montreal has created the “Go” series of games that manipulate the known worlds of “Hitman”, “Tomb Raider”, and “Deus Ex” and turned them into more board game-like puzzles for a broader, unique mobile experience with efforts that reflect a AAA home console studio.

Embracer Group Operative Groups

THQ Nordic, Koch Media, Coffee Stain, Amplifier Game Invest, Gearbox Entertainment, Dark Horse Media, DECA Games, Saber Interactive, Easybrain, and Amsodee are the operative groups that lead a total of 119 internal game studios and 12,500 employees across more than 40 countries, but Embracer Group themselves are located in Sweden.

The Future of Square Enix Western Studio Assets in Embracer Group’s Hands

While it’s rumored that Square Enix sold the IPs and franchises, and western studios involved with them, in order to be able to get into the NFT and Metaverse blockchain space without actually canceling their beloved franchises and selling them instead to a worthy name, such as Embracer Group. Overall, regarding Embracer Group’s acquisition of Square Enix western studio assets, while acknowledging the importance and impact of the IPs involved, Embracer Group CEO and co-founder Lars Wingefors stated, “We are thrilled to welcome these studios into the Embracer Group. We recognize the fantastic IP, world-class talent, and track record of excellence that have been demonstrated time and time again over the past decades.”