130°

Embracer Group completes acquisition of Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montréal

On 2 May 2022, Embracer Group AB ("Embracer") entered into an agreement to acquire the development studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montréal, and a catalog of IPs including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain and more than 50 back-catalog games from SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD.

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embracer.com
GamingSinceForever644d ago

Now it’s time to go to work on these classics.

ZwVw644d ago (Edited 644d ago )

If they end up anything like the latest Saint's Row (yes, Deep Silver is owned by Embracer), count me out.

MadLad644d ago (Edited 644d ago )

Blame Volition and Deep Silver.
Embracer is like Microsoft in that they're pretty hands off with the studios (and in this case publisher) they acquire, at least if that results in a solid product.
They're both happy to just bankroll devs they have trust in and see what happens.

Sciurus_vulgaris644d ago

One concern I have is that Embracer Group seems to consistently only fund AA to lower budget AAA titles. However, I hope that company has more reasonable expectations for future Tomb Raider [and other newly acquired IPs] than Square Enix.

neutralgamer1992644d ago

They are AA publishers but a lot of their games launch with bugs and glitches. AA is fine but make quality games please

Sciurus_vulgaris644d ago

I’m worried about Embracer pumping out mediocre and unpolished to semi-unpolished games. The company has acquired a lot of IPs that I’m fond of. So I hope Embracers quality standards improve in the near-future.

neutralgamer1992644d ago (Edited 644d ago )

yes agreed in my humble opinion they have way too many valueable IP's but their talent hiring needs assessment. They hired so many first time in gaming industry devs to work on this new SR and it clearly shows

porkChop644d ago

Gearbox isn't AA or low budget. Neither is Volition. They also own 4A Games who made Metro Exodus.

To be honest though, we don't actually get enough AA games. It's either indie or AAA. AA means a smaller budget, which means less strict risk management, which means more creativity and innovation. So if Embracer want to push more AA games I'd be happy with that.

brewin644d ago (Edited 644d ago )

Did the get the Gex IP?! I'd like a new game in that long lost series. A new Legacy of Kain proper would be nice too... Not just some remaster but a whole new game.

BlackIceJoe644d ago

On a conference call right after Embracer bought these companies from SE the execs talked about remaking Gex and bringing out a new legacy of Kain, so they will happen.

brewin644d ago

Awesome! I always thought it was stupid for SE to have all that IP just wasting away. They did Tomb Raider justice but thats about it.

VersusDMC644d ago

They are remaking Destroy all humans games...so i assume they will release a game for every IP they own.

tombfan644d ago

That was fast! I'm glad! :D

MadLad644d ago

Please continue Deus Ex, and do it properly.

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80°

Every PlayStation Studios game available now on Windows PC

Windows Central writes: "Many PlayStation Studios games that are ported to PC get dedicated PS5 DualSense support, which allows users to experience haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support without actually having to own a PS5.

According to Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, it's still the company's intent to launch the bigger single-player games on PS5 first, before later bringing the games to PC. This might not be the case for multiplayer games however, which are considered okay to launch simultaneously on console and PC."

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windowscentral.com
ocelot0712h ago

My guess is after god of war. Probably last of us 2 that's a almost 4 year old game now and by the time it's released on pc it will be more than 4 years old or close to 5.

Elda6h ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

XiNatsuDragnel4h ago

Good at least they can sell hardware

210°

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie. This is something of a homecoming, as Microsoft owns Activision.

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engadget.com
Obscure_Observer22h ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning7720h ago

I guess.

How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )

At least it wouldn't be MS of all ppl destroying them.

MS really should let go Tango go like they did TFB here.

darthv7220h ago(Edited 20h ago)

one was under Bethesda (Tango) the other under Activision (TFB). Clearly each one handled the separations of their subordinates differently.

Obscure_Observer19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

"How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )"

Perhaps because Zenimax and ABK handles such matters differently based on their own internal policies as "independent" publishers.

Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future. Which could also be the reason why they ensured an exclusive partnership with TFB and its new game, before anyone else.

Sad and disgusting. But it is what it is.

Lightning7716h ago(Edited 16h ago)

"Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future."

MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB.

It's inexcusable, they have options on how to handle studios they don't want anymore with killing jobs. Not just MS but the rest of the industry also.

Sad and disgusting sure how many will get shut down next year or this year even?

I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another.

Obscure_Observer8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

"MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB."

Imo, MS separated from TFB because they didn´t had a game associated with Xbox yet, unlike Tango.

"I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another."

Fair enough. It was indeed an epic dumb move from them to close Tango.

Still, all to be forgotten, like always have. This is not the first time a big publisher shuts down a beloved and/or successful studio out of nowhere and certainly won´t be the last. Do you remember Lionhead? Do you remember Evolution Studios? Yeah... both were beloved studios and yet, those companies kill those studios in q blink of an eye and got away with it.

anast6h ago(Edited 6h ago)

The studio boss made some money from this transaction. Once the game releases, the studio will get chopped up.

-Foxtrot22h ago

Manages to buy their freedom especially after all the shit Microsoft has been doing with its studios lately

...

Goes right back to them as partners.

Okaaaaaay...

darthv7220h ago

Id venture a guess that TFB working directly with MS was a better outcome than working through Activision to get to MS.

VersusDMC18h ago

From the article...

"Toys for Bob spun out as an indie back in February after Microsoft instituted sweeping layoffs that impacted 86 employees, which was more than half of the staff"

I doubt those 86 employees enjoyed the Microsoft experience over Activisions.

Inverno18h ago

MS shuts down studios because of lack of resources and then helps these guys by giving em resources. Also MS is what forced them to buy their freedom in the first place? What kind of logic 😂

Chevalier15h ago

The best thing is that the company that is worth $3 trillion and owns the company instead of Xbox lacks resources. How the hell does a company worth $3 trillion making a measly $70 billion purchase they 'can't' support. Lol

Sciurus_vulgaris20h ago(Edited 20h ago)

Xbox’s gaming division seems to still function as 3 semi-autonomous sub-divisions, Xbox Studios, Bethesda and ABK. The three main sub-divisions can seemingly shut down or build studios and set up partnerships independently. This would explain why Bethesda can recently shutdown studios, while ABK spins off one studio, while building a new one. Plus, Toys for Bob could be spun off by ABK, only to immediately re-partner with Microsoft.

Chevalier15h ago

That's absolutely 💯 BS. Any sane 'autonomous' company would NOT put their games on Gamepass day 1 like COD will lose probably billions.

Also they're all under Xbox game studios so any autonomy is an illusion.

PhillyDonJawn2h ago

No, I'm sure MS can and does step in when they want something done specifically but I'm also sure they let them also work independently

Elda15h ago

Either a kiddie game or something uninteresting.

Obscure_Observer8h ago

Don´t worry. You won´t be playing it anyway since their next game will possible be a next gen Xbox console game.

PhillyDonJawn2h ago

Right probably something like astrobot

romulus232h ago

Nah he said "uninteresting", lots of people are interested in Astro Bot.

Elda12m ago

Never Astro Bot. Astro Bot looks better than any exclusive released on XB this entire generation & believe there hasn't been much.

Show all comments (27)
200°

Sony shares big new PS Plus stat, but not the one we want to see

PlayStation Plus has improved the split of PS4 and PS5 players on its priciest tiers, but Sony continues to hide total subscriber numbers.

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theloadout.com
mandf1d 2h ago

lol acting like it’s equivalent to ms numbers

Mr Logic1d 1h ago

Uh...They're definitely not equivalent.

"Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service now has 34 million subscribers."

"the total number of PS Plus subscribers across all tiers was 47.4 million"

darthv721d 1h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

That PSN number seems like it should be much higher... especially when you consider that PS4 alone has a sell through of over 117m. To not even be at least half that is rather interesting.

To the XB side, having 34m to an install base of roughly 50m (XBO sell through) or even 85m (360 sell through) is a greater percentage of unit to member ratio than PSN.

bloop21h ago

That's not the "gotcha" you think it is Darth.

darthv7220h ago

^^it's not supposed to be bloop.... it's just an interesting observation.

Einhander197219h ago

darthv72

"That PSN number seems like it should be much higher... especially when you consider that PS4 alone has a sell through of over 117m. To not even be at least half that is rather interesting.

To the XB side, having 34m to an install base of roughly 50m (XBO sell through) or even 85m (360 sell through) is a greater percentage of unit to member ratio than PSN."

Have you ever heard of a PC before? I hear they are pretty popular.

fr0sty13h ago

MS started lumping gold subscribers in with those GP numbers... keep in mind.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 13h ago
shinoff21831d ago (Edited 1d ago )

What. Definitely more os plus subscribers but that makes sense due to actual console sales

Darth the difference between the bases are huge your right but you gotta think. Ps players buy more games, where as the Xbox base relies on gamepass for their gaming. So it makes perfect sense

darthv721d ago (Edited 1d ago )

What makes perfect sense though? You say PS players buy more games... so then logically there should be more PS+ subscribers given the increased number of online multiplayer games in the PS4 generation alone. The PS4 was the first time that + was required for online play much like Gold was for 360 users.

Keep in mind we are talking subscribers, not simply XB/PS users. I assume you meant to say offline single player games, which is most likely true as well. That gen also saw a significant increase in games with an online component comparted to the previous gen.

victorMaje23h ago

I for one will be going back to essential at the next renewal. When I feel a game is good & right up my alley, I’ll check trusted reviews & just buy it.

jznrpg22h ago(Edited 22h ago)

I have the top tier until 2028 as they gave me a massive discount for all the years I had left but I’ll most likely go to essential as well. I buy my games but my kids do use the service occasionally. They do prefer to own their games as well since any game can leave the rental service at some point and they don’t like that idea. They mostly use it to demo games then ask me to buy games if they really like it.

RedDevils18h ago

For me, I will cancel it all together but unfortunately I still have it till 2030 lol

meganick22h ago

I would like to see Sony add a fourth tier of PS Plus for people who just want to be able to play games online without any of the perks like monthly games, store discounts, or anything like that, and it should cost $20 annually, $30 maximum. There’s no way I’m paying $80 just to play games online. Even the original $60 fee was too much, and I would often wait for sales to re-up my subscription.

P_Bomb18h ago(Edited 18h ago)

Essential is too expensive, I agree. We’ve got one Essential and one Premium sub. Dropping the Premium when it expires.

gamerz15h ago

Just let my subscription lapse for the first time since 2010. Will sub again every now and then for a month or so to access my old ps+ games but for me it's the end of an era.

DivineHand12514h ago

Let those numbers continue to drop because it is now too expensive. $80 per year just to play online. I noticed they didn't offer any discounts on the subscription or controllers during this year's days of play for the first time in many years and they will feel it when people choose not to renew.

My subscription will lapse next month and it will stay that way until further notice.

KevtheDuff10h ago

There were savings on subs and controllers here in the UK? I bought a controller yesterday in the sale..
It would be weird if those deals were not in other territories too?