Current Events > Square-Enix sold Eidos studios and IP's (Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, etc.) to Embracer

(+) Yeah! (+)

Embracer Group AB ("Embracer") has entered into an agreement to acquire the development studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montral, Square Enix Montral, and a catalogue of IPs including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain and more than 50 back-catalogue games from SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD. ("Square Enix Holdings"). In total, the acquisition includes ~1,100 employees across three studios and eight global locations. The total purchase price amounts to USD 300 million on a cash and debt free basis, to be paid in full at closing. Embracer has secured additional long-term debt funding commitments for this and other transactions in the pipeline. The company today reiterates its current Operational EBIT forecast for FY 21/22, FY 22/23, and FY 23/24. The transaction is subject to various regulatory and other external approvals and is expected to close during the second quarter of Embracer's financial year 22/23 (July-September 2022).

SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (the Company) today signed a share transfer agreement with Sweden-based Embracer Group AB concerning the divestiture of select overseas studios and IP (the Transaction). The Companys primary assets to be divested in the Transaction are group subsidiaries such as CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, INC.; EIDOS INTERACTIVE CORP. and IP such as TOMB RAIDER, Deus Ex, Thief, and Legacy of Kain. At the Company Board of Directors meeting held on 27 April, 2022, the Board resolved to entrust Representative Director Yosuke Matsuda with the right of final decision. All conditions having being met, the share transfer agreement was concluded today. 1. Purpose of the Transaction The Transaction will assist the Company in adapting to the changes underway in the global business environment by establishing a more efficient allocation of resources, which will enhance corporate value by accelerating growth in the Companys core businesses in the digital entertainment domain. In addition, the Transaction enables the launch of new businesses by moving forward with investments in fields including blockchain, AI, and the cloud. The move is based on the policy of business structure optimization that the Company set forth under the medium-term business strategy unveiled on May 13, 2021. The Transaction will also provide an opportunity to better align our overseas publishing function with our organization in Tokyo, revisit the current governance structure and associated reporting lines, and advance integrated group management with the goal of maximizing the worldwide revenue generated from future titles launched by the groups studios in Japan and abroad. Going forward, the Companys development function will comprise its studios in Japan, Square Enix External Studios, and Square Enix Collective. The Companys overseas studios will continue to publish franchises such as JUST CAUSE, OUTRIDERS, and Life is Strange

At this time, we are crazy people who have decided to revive the Deus Ex IP as our first game," Eidos Montreal Studio Head David Anfossi said during the Embracer Group conference call. "A new team, a very complex production, a new tech, and a new studio, an easy challenge."

Some good news at least

https://www.shacknews.com/article/130122/deus-ex-ip-will-be-revived-by-eidos-montreal-with-embracer-group-deal

Good, Square-Enix can focus on it's own existing Japanese IP that have been traditionally popular.

Eidos can go back to it's own library of titles.

I wish they would sell the rights of Final Fantasy to another company.... Christ how that franchise has gone straight downhill.

I wish they would sell the rights of Final Fantasy to another company.... Christ how that franchise has gone straight downhill.

FF7 remake was awesome
ff14 is on a roll
FF16 is being hyped and looks interesting

theyve recovered a lot of their image after the disasters that were ffxv and ff13

And then immediately trashed it with Avengers, Chocobo GP, Babylon's Fall, Balan Wonderworld, etc.

Trust me, Square hasn't been lacking for pissing people off and putting out financial flops over the last year or two.

Square has no business making western games. Just stick to jrpgs and focus on getting those perfected again

It's not like it was Square making the games. It was western development teams they bought over the years.

as the publisher they certainly had a large influence on the games though

those arent final fantasy except GP which is just obvious shovelware side game stuff. The final fantasy franchise is one of the strongest in gaming.

It probably is good news overall (although I dunno how good Embracer will be in the long term) but man isn't Sqaure-Enix basically giving up being a super relevant publisher in the West? Final Fantasy will never be as big as it used to be. Kinda feels like they're heading to Sega tier.

the Transaction enables the launch of new businesses by moving forward with investments in fields including blockchain, AI, and the cloud.

Tomb Raider trilogy is the most underrated trilogy of last gen gaming. None were ground breaking but all of them were fucking solid games.

Only $300 million for the IPs of Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and some other IPs? Square must of had a lot of debt tied to those companies if they are taking in that little money.

Take off your fanboy glasses

Anyone moaning about FF current state is clueless.

FfXIV revived the series with 2 expansions as good as the best of any mainline FF.

So basically the current state of FF is Warcraft?

No because the worst FF expansion is better than the best expansion of WoW

And then immediately trashed it with Avengers, Chocobo GP, Babylon's Fall, Balan Wonderworld, etc.

Trust me, Square hasn't been lacking for pissing people off and putting out financial flops over the last year or two.

Even ARR is better than WoW but that's not the point.

The series quality has been in such a dump it might as well just not be there except for 14.

Stranger of Paradise was not well received

People are stupid and base their opinions on the Chaos meme. The actual game was extremely fun and well worth it.

those arent final fantasy except GP which is just obvious shovelware side game stuff. The final fantasy franchise is one of the strongest in gaming.

Final fantasy 7 Remake is not a great game. Take off your fanboy glasses and look at the technical part of the game. Running corridors, press action button to climb ladders, squeeze through gaps, run more corridors, watch cutscenes.

It's just a nicer looking FF13.