4A Games, creator of the Metro series, is to remain part of Embracer Group after Saber Interactive, creator of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, declined to exercise an option to buy the studio.
When Saber spun off from Embracer via Beacon Interactive, a company controlled by Saber co-founder Matthew Karch, it had the option of bringing 4A Games with it. Embracer announced that would no longer happen. Now, 4A Games, as well as Zen Studios, the Hungarian studio behind Pinball FX and Zen Pinball, will remain with Embracer.
In a statement, Embracer’s controversial co-founder and CEO Lars Wingefors said: “We are pleased to have completed this transaction and are very pleased that the great teams and assets of 4A Games and Zen Studios remain with Embracer. They will be important building blocks as we continue our journey.”
So what is 4A Games working on right now? This year, there’s a VR spin-off called Metro Awakening coming to PSVR2, PC VR, and Meta Quest, as well as another main Metro game that’s in the works but hasn’t been revealed yet. Wingefors said there’s another unannounced triple-A game in the works at 4A Games.
As for Embracer, it’s coming off a period of devastating cuts and studio closures that left thousands of employees unemployed. It’s also sold off various parts of its business to improve cash flow, with Borderlands producer Gearbox joining Take-Two and the aforementioned Saber Interactive going it alone.
Despite this, Embracer retains control over over 900 franchises and owns brands like THQ Nordic, Plaion, Coffee Stain and Tomb Raider creator Crystal Dynamics. Embracer, which also owns the rights to The Lord of the Rings, has an incredible 103 internal game development studios, employing over 10,000 people in over 40 countries.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter @wyp100. You can contact Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
