4A Games, the developer of the Metro series, is set to remain within Embracer Group after Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive declined to exercise its option to buy the studio.
When Saber spun out of Embracer via Beacon Interactive, a company controlled by Saber co-founder Matthew Karch, it had the option of bringing 4A Games along with it. That is no longer happening, Embracer announced. Now 4A Games, as well as Zen Studios, the Hungarian studio responsible for Pinball FX and Zen Pinball, will remain at Embracer.
In a statement, Embracer’s controversial co-founder and CEO Lars Wingefors said: “We are satisfied with the conclusion of this transaction and very glad to see the great teams and assets of 4A Games and Zen Studios remain within Embracer. They will be important building blocks in our continued journey.”
So, what’s 4A Games working on these days? It has VR spin-off Metro Awakening due out later this year on PSVR2, PC VR, and Meta Quest, as well as the next mainline Metro game, confirmed to be in the works but yet to be revealed. There’s another unannounced triple-A game in development at 4A Games, too, Wingefors teased.
As for Embracer, it’s coming out of a period of devastating cuts and studio closures that has seen thousands of staff lose their jobs. It also sold various parts of its business in a bid to improve its cash flow, with Borderlands maker Gearbox joining Take-Two, and the aforementioned Saber Interactive going it alone.
Despite this, Embracer retains control of over 900 franchises, and owns the likes of THQ Nordic, Plaion, Coffee Stain, and Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics. Embracer, which also owns the rights to The Lord of the rings, has an incredible 103 internal game development studios, with more than 10,000 employees in more than 40 countries.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
