#Lars Wingefors

[tagnoob]

Quote of the Day - Just Say No?

No –Matthew Karch, in an interview when asked if Embracer Group piling 900 million Euros of debt onto Asmodee as part of the plan to bail Embracer Group out of its financial debacle would pose any problems for table top game publisher Asmodee I feel like Matt Karch, the former Chief Operating Officer of Embracer Group, is spending a lot more time than necessary trying to salvage the reputation of…

[iww-gnv]

Embattled entertainment company Embracer has warned of further layoffs despite letting go of 1,387 staff since its high-profile restructuring began in June. Embracer’s total headcount was reduced by 904 during the second quarter of its financial year, then by another 483 in the third quarter. That’s 8% of the group's global workforce. The company has also cancelled 29 unannounced games during the two quarters. “In a group-wide effort, our companies and studios have had to make difficult decisions, particularly on having to part ways with team members,” Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors said in a prepared statement. “In total, we have reduced our global headcount by 8% of the workforce since the start of the program. The reductions are managed locally on the operative group level with a focus on informing affected employees first, and then carried out with compassion, respect and integrity towards those affected.” Wingefors went on to say Embracer is in the process of selling off parts of its business, amid rumours Borderlands developer Gearbox is up for sale. Embracer bought Gearbox in February 2021 as part of an acquisition spree that included snapping up Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, among many other studios. “Processes are in mature stages,” Wingefors said, before warning layoffs at Embracer’s various studios may occur before any sale is completed. “Certain companies might initiate restructuring before any divestment is announced,” he said. And then, in a comment already causing controversy within the video game industry across social media, Wingefors said Embracer’s priority is to its shareholders — always. “Our overruling principle is to always maximize shareholder value in any given situation,” Wingefors said. To be clear, all publicly traded companies have a legal obligation to their shareholders, but saying this out loud in this way and in the context of the drastic impact the cuts are having on people's lives has raised eyebrows.

[felassan]

Article: 'Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake release left in limbo by Saber Interactive sale'

Excerpt:

""Previously announced AAA game based on a major license" needs "deep love and respect" This week's announcement that Embracer are selling off Saber Interactive to new company Beacon Interactive has cast further doubt over the future of one of Embracer's bigger projects, the much-delayed Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake. While Embracer have yet to actually state this out loud, it sounds like the KOTOR remake will be a "joint project" between Saber and Embracer. It also probably won't be out in the next 12 months. Embracer will retain possession of Aspyr Media, the studio originally in charge of the KOTOR remake, but the game is "going with Saber", according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. Embracer have said, however, that their retained "joint" assets from the deal include "a previously announced AAA game based on a major license" which could well be the Star Wars game. In a conference call discussing the deal (via VGC), Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors was asked whether the latter licensed project would come out in the next 12 months. "No, I think that kind of game needs some deep love and respect, so without giving full colour, I think it's some time left until that is released," he said." Another caller asked whether the game is, in fact, the KOTOR remake, but Wingefors said he had no further comments on the subject."

[source]

[h34vybottom]

My latest: Embracer Group: Neoliberal Scum. In which we discuss Embracer Group's massacring of Pieces Interactive and the narratives presented by CEO Lars Wingefors.

[theclubhero-blog]

Embracer cancela vendas de dois estúdios e parabeniza Saber Interactive

Por Vinicius Torres Oliveira

4A Games e Zen Studios não serão incluídos em acordo pela divisão

O Embracer Group anunciou que as vendas propostas dos estúdios 4A Games e Zen Studios foram canceladas. Ambas as empresas haviam sido incluídas como opção na venda de US$ 247 milhões da divisão Saber Interactive, mas o acordo foi finalizado sem suas inclusões, conforme confirmado pelo diretor executivo da companhia.

Os estúdios permanecerão sob a propriedade da Embracer. O CEO Lars Wingefors expressou satisfação com o desfecho, destacando que 4A Games e Zen Studios continuam sendo “blocos importantes” na trajetória da empresa, com projetos futuros em andamento.

Wingefors também mencionou que o 4A Games tem dois títulos de grande porte em desenvolvimento, aguardados ansiosamente para anúncio. Ele ressaltou a relevância do estúdio dentro da estratégia do conglomerado, especialmente após a conclusão do acordo de venda com investidores privados.

O diretor executivo do Embracer Group falou sobre o atual momento da indústria e citou os possíveis culpados em seu ponto de vista. Surpreendentemente, ele creditou os consoles e PCs por essa “volatilidade” no setor.

Além disso, o CEO aproveitou a ocasião para agradecer Matthew Karch, fundador da Saber, por suas contribuições ao longo dos anos. Ele também parabenizou a equipe pela bem-sucedida estreia de Warhammer 40.000: Space Marine 2 em sua nova estrutura corporativa: “será um grande começo para a nova estrutura deles”.

[jcmarchi]

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Remake 'Alive And Well' Following Embracer Sale

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-remake-alive-and-well-following-embracer-sale/

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Remake 'Alive And Well' Following Embracer Sale

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake is “alive and well,” according to Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch. He revealed this during a recent interview with IGN, where he also confirmed Saber took Star Wars: KOTOR Remake with it following its split from Embracer Group. 

Last month, Embracer Group, the company behind the closure of Saints Row studio Volition Games and layoffs at companies like Black Forest Games and Eidos-Montréal, sold Saber in a $500 million deal. It sold the studio, which is also developing the first-person adventure Jurassic Park: Survival, to a group of private investors under Beacon Interactive, which is controlled by Karch. At the time of the sale, the company didn’t mention its Star Wars: KOTOR Remake, leaving excited fans concerned for the game, which itself has already gone through some rocky development. 

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Now, thanks to Karch’s interview with IGN, we know the game is still in development. 

“It’s clear and it’s obvious that we’re working on this,” Karch told the publication. “It’s been in the press numerous times. What I will say is that the game is alive and well, and we’re dedicated to making sure we exceed consumer expectations.” 

That’s all Karch shared about the remake, however, and IGN writes that in an investor call following the announcement of Saber’s sale, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors implied the remake might still be a long ways away. 

For more about the game, watch the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake reveal trailer, and then read about how Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’s biggest issue is how it plays. After that, check out Game Informer’s big list of upcoming video game remakes. 

[Source: IGN]

Are you still excited for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake? Let us know in the comments below!

[gamerbulten]

Dead Island 2 investor interview hints that we should see the game released by March 2023 Another day, another Dead Island 2 rumo...

[gameforestdach]

Aussagen von Disneys Gaming-Chef Sean Shoptaw deuten darauf hin, dass das lang ersehnte Remake von Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic immer noch auf dem Weg ist. In einem Interview mit Axios zeigte sich Shoptaw zögerlich, tief in das Thema des rätselhaften Remakes einzutauchen, gab den Fans aber zumindest neue Hoffnung, dass es wirklich Wirklichkeit werden könnte. "Es gibt nicht viel, was ich zu diesem Thema sagen kann, aus hoffentlich offensichtlichen Gründen," neckt Shoptaw, "aber KOTOR ist offensichtlich ein unglaublich beliebtes Spiel, auf das wir sehr stolz sind und von dem wir denken, dass immer noch eine große Nachfrage besteht. Mehr sage ich dazu nicht." Das kommt, nachdem letzte Woche Gerüchte aufkamen, dass das Projekt gestoppt worden sei. Im Podcast Game Mess Mornings behauptete der Moderator Jeff Grubb, dass das Spiel effektiv "tot" sei, da es "gerade nicht bearbeitet" werde, weder von Saber Interactive noch von einem anderen Studio. Diese Informationen wurden später allerdings von Bloomberg-Reporter Jason Schreier widerlegt, der angab, dass er mit zwei Personen bei Saber gesprochen hatte, und beide bestätigten, dass das Spiel sehr lebendig ist und weiterhin vorangetrieben wird. Unterdessen hat sich die Muttergesellschaft von Saber, die Embracer Group, bedeckt gehalten, was das Remake von Knights of the Old Republic angeht. Letzten Monat sagte der CEO des Unternehmens, Lars Wingefors, dass er nicht über das Spiel sprechen möchte, da er keine endlosen Artikel darüber provozieren will. Das ist verständlich, obwohl eine Bestätigung darüber, ob es noch in Arbeit ist oder nicht, sicherlich nett wäre. In der Zwischenzeit können sich Star Wars-Fans auf eine Reihe virtueller Abenteuer freuen, darunter das ehrgeizige Open-World-Spiel von Ubisoft, Star Wars Outlaws, und Star Wars Eclipse vom Entwicklerstudio Quantic Dream, das für Heavy Rain und Detroit: Become Human bekannt ist.

[tagnoob]

Embracer Group - Trust the Plan... Because there is a plan, right?

I suppose the polite version of the meme of the last few years is “Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes.”  Not quite the same bite as FAFAO, but a similar message. After having made a series of ill advised moves based on the promise and a wink from some billionaire, Lars Wingefors and his executive staff overextended the aggressively named venture, The Embracer Group, only to find out that maybe…

[wolfleblack]

Dead Island 2 is coming to another platform next year

Dead Island 2 is apparently scheduled to launch on “another platform” next year, according to Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors. During Embracer’s quarterly earnings call, Wingefors talked about the game’s performance thus far. Despite being announced way back in 2014 and having a trouble development, the zombie-slaying action-RPG did very well when it launched earlier this year. Across…

[thetoxicgamer]

The Perfect Dark reboot is not dead, Crystal Dynamics confirms

Crystal Dynamics confirmed that the Perfect Dark revival is reportedly still active and progressing without any "impact" from the current issues at Embracer Group. The first substantial information about Perfect Dark, a first-person shooter game, was released in November of 2022. Perfect Dark was first announced in 2020. Perfect Dark appeared to have been disrupted due to reorganisation at parent company Embracer, a collaborative effort between Crystal Dynamics and The Initiative. The Tomb Raider studio, however, affirms that this is untrue. In May, Embracer Group, which owns Crystal Dynamics among other studios such as Eidos-Montreal and Deep Silver, announced that a planned $2 billion project had collapsed. Though the nature of the project was not revealed, Embracer subsequently announced restructuring plans that are likely to include lay-offs and the cancelation of upcoming game projects. “Embracer currently engages close to 17,000 people and while that number will be lower by the end of the year, it is too early to give an exact forecast on this,” CEO Lars Wingefors said in an open letter. Naturally, restructuring by Embracer has the potential to impinge on Crystal Dynamics, which alongside Perfect Dark is also working on a new Tomb Raider game in partnership with Amazon. In a statement, however, the studio says that there will be “no impact” on its efforts with regards to both a new Tomb Raider and the hitherto mysterious Perfect Dark reboot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S--lFTxAVs8 “Thanks to everyone for reaching out and asking about the most recent news by our parent company Embracer Group regarding the restructuring plans,” Crystal Dynamics says. “We want to reassure fans that there will be no impact to our continuing efforts with our partners at The Initiative on Perfect Dark, or our next Tomb Raider title being developed in collaboration with Amazon Games.” This seemingly confirms that Perfect Dark is still in active development. In November 2022, Crystal Dynamics CEO Phil Rogers said the project was going “extremely well.” Since then, however, there has been practically no official Perfect Dark news. Rebooting the landmark 2000 FPS from Rare, Perfect Dark is rumoredly set in the near future and will center around eponymous spy Joanna Dark as she battles the evil corporations that have presided over Earth’s ecological destruction. There is no word yet regarding a release date. If you’re a big Perfect Dark fan, enjoy some nostalgia with the best old games. You might also want to try some of the best upcoming games confirmed for 2023 and beyond. Read the full article

[h34vybottom]

i think executives should shut the fuck up forever

[graphicpolicy]

Dark Horse's parent company Embracer takes a hit

Dark Horse's parent company Embracer takes a hit #comics #comicbooks

What happens when you admit a $2 billion deal collapsed overnight before an earnings presentation? Your stock is going to take a hit. That’s exactly what happened to Embracer, the massive conglomerate that owns numerous video game studios, board game publishers, and Dark Horse Comics… and the rights to The Lord of the Rings. Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors stated in a May 24th sessions Q&A a…

[jcmarchi]

Take-Two Purchases Gearbox Entertainment From Embracer For $460 Million

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/take-two-purchases-gearbox-entertainment-from-embracer-for-460-million/

Take-Two Purchases Gearbox Entertainment From Embracer For $460 Million

Embracer Group has divested Gearbox Entertainment from its stable of video game studios, with Take-Two Interactive purchasing the company for $460 million. This sale is part of Embracer’s massive, ongoing restructuring designed to cut costs after a planned $2 billion deal with Saudi Arabia-backed Savvy Games Group fell through in 2023. The sale comes three years after Embracer acquired Gearbox for $1.3 billion in 2021. 

This move means Embracer no longer owns Gearbox’s development entities, such as Gearbox Software, Gearbox Montreal, and Gearbox Studio Quebec, nor franchises such as Borderlands/Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Homeworld, Risk of Rain, Brothers in Arms, and Duke Nukem. These assets will be acquired by Take-Two, which owns Rockstar Games and 2K, among other labels. Closing of the transaction is expected to take place in fiscal year Q1 2024/25, pending customary regulatory approvals.

In a press release from Take-Two, Gearbox confirms it has six titles in the works. Five are sequels, and two of those sequels are from the Borderlands and Homeworld franchises. It also has an announced new IP in development. 

However, Embracer does retain other branches/subsidiaries of Gearbox. That includes Gearbox Publishing San Fransisco (soon to be renamed), which has publishing rights to the Remnant franchise, Hyper Light Breaker, and other upcoming unannounced titles. Additionally, Embracer is keeping Cryptic Studios (Neverwinter Online, Star Trek Online), Lost Boys Interactive, and Captured Dimensions. According to the press release, these companies will be “welcomed and integrated into other parts of Embracer Group in the coming period.”

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

In a press release, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors writes, 

“Today’s announcement marks the result of the final structured divestment process and is an important step in transforming Embracer into the future with notably lower net debt and improved free cash flow. Through the transaction, we lower business risk and improve profitability as we transition to becoming a leaner and more focused company. After evaluating several options for Gearbox, I am happy that we have reached a solution that is in the best interest of all stakeholders. Randy and the team have been great team members throughout the past years, and I would like to thank them all for that. As one of the world’s greatest games developers, I am confident that Gearbox will continue to innovate and thrive in their new home within Take-Two.”

Gearbox founder and CEO Randy Pitchford adds,

”As a significant long-term Embracer Group shareholder, I believe in the strategy for the Embracer Group going forward and am completely convinced that this transaction is the best possible scenario and an obvious net positive arrangement for Embracer Group, for TakeTwo and, of course, for Gearbox Entertainment. My primary interest is always Gearbox, including our talent and our customers. I want to personally ensure fans of our games that this arrangement will ensure that the experiences we have in development at Gearbox will be the best it can possibly be.”

Earlier this month, Embracer announced it was selling Saber Interactive for $500 million. It has also laid off employees across several studios, canceled a multitude of in-development games, and shut down Free Radical Design and Volition Games entirely.