The Swedish gaming holding company Embracer Group AB («Embracer») has reached an agreement to sell Russia’s Saber Interactive «to a group of private investors». It would seem that we are in favor of the Russians, but not everything is so simple in this potential deal.
Toxic ballast. What we know about the deal between Saber Interactive and Embracer
First of all, it’s worth clarifying that Saber Interactive is a Russian publisher founded by Russians. Don’t let the American registration fool you. The main development studio was originally based in St. Petersburg. And they immediately focused on the West (TimeShift). Since then, Saber has opened several studios in different countries. But the main thing is: Saber Interactive — Russians. In 2020, Saber bought Embracer for $525 and made it its sub-publisher, and the holding was actively buying up other gaming companies.
About the deal to separate Saber Interactive from Embracer reported Bloomberg citing its own sources. The deal is worth — $500 million. The deal will be financed by an unknown «group of private investors», and after closing, Saber will become a private company with about 3,500 employees. The Bloomberg article also mentions Saber’s plans to resume development of the remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic announced in 2021 and developed by Aspyr until recently. Yes, the same Aspyr, which is a subsidiary of Saber Interactive and which allowed Russians to reach with their hands, which are shoulder-deep in the blood of Ukrainians, to the cult Tomb Raider I–III Remastered.
Embracer, which until recently was actively buying up everything it couldis currently in a difficult situation and is actively restructuring — closes studios, fires people, cancels games and is selling off its assets. Kotaku’s publications separately reported that Embracer, together with Saber, will sell Gearbox (the deal is supposedly in the final stages of formalization) — to whom and for how much is still unknown.
It is obvious that Embracer is selling (let’s believe Bloomberg) the entire Saber Interactive group and, given the context (Russians) and all this mystery with anonymous private investors, it is most likely that the Russians are buying the Russians. And now the most interesting part.
What about 4A Games?
Embracer Group owns one of the most famous Ukrainian studios — 4A Games, known for the famous Metro series. More precisely, what was left of 4A Games after Andrey Prokhorov, co-founder and creative director of 4A Games, who led the creative part of the development of all Metro games, left the studio.
4A Games became part of Embracer — holding bought the creators of the Metro series and merged the Ukrainian studio with Saber Interactive. This is a real betrayal. Most likely, 4A Games is a part of the deal and, if it is successfully closed (99% probability), will be acquired by Russians Saber Interactive.
We really want to be wrong and will update this text as soon as we learn new details. For now, 4A Games is actively working on the next installment in the main Metro series. And for the sake of completeness: the release of Metro Awakening — VR prequel to the Metro series. The game, which was made by Vertigo Games in collaboration with Deep Silver and not by a Ukrainian development team, will not have Ukrainian localization