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Embracer Group continues buying spree, adds Lord of the Rings IP, game studios

By George Yang August 18, 2022

Video game giant Embracer Group has obtained the rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien through its acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises. The holdings company also acquired multiple other gaming studios to form its new group, Embracer Freemode.

Embracer Group has made major acquisitions recently, positioning it as one of gaming’s biggest forces. It made headlines earlier this year when it acquired Square Enix’s Western studios, obtaining the IP rights to franchises like Deus Ex. Now, the company holds the rights to the Lord of the Ring series — not just the rights to publish video games based on the franchise, but the entire IP.

The Lord of the Rings purchase is the most shocking bit of news from Embracer’s acquisition spree, but it’s only small piece of the company’s buying binge. Embracer Freemode will include the newly purchased Limited Run Games, Tuxedo Labs, Bitwave Games, Gioteck, Tripwire Interactive, Singtrix, and Tatsujin.

“Creators by their nature are at the forefront of industry-leading innovation and disruption, Lee Guinchard, Freemode CEO, said. “Founders are empowered to realize their true creative vision. Ultimately, our goal is to provide our entrepreneur-led companies with the essential resources to deliver the most exciting entertainment experiences for fans around the world.”

Bitwave Game, Tripwire Interactive, and Tuxedo Labs are game development studios. Bitwave also announced that it will be rereleasing retro titles like Truxton, Twin Cobra, Out Zone, and Zero Wing later this year. Tripwire is best known for games such as Killing Floor and Maneater, while Tuxedo Labs is the studio behind Teardown.

Tatsujin is Embracer’s first Japanese studio, led by Masahiro Yuge. Singtrix and Gioteck are more product companies, with the former focusing on music and audio gaming products while the latter creates gaming accessories like headsets and controllers. Limited Run Games creates physical copies of games and collector’s editions.

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George Yang is a freelance games writer for Digital Trends. He has written for places such as IGN, GameSpot, The Washington…

Gaming

What is Embracer Group? Gaming’s new megapower, explained

The Lord of the Rings Return of the King Extended Edition

You might not have heard of Embracer Group, but you’ve probably played something a studio it owns developed. Have you played Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Valheim, Elex II, or Shadow Warrior 3 recently? Then you’ve been enjoying a game from Embracer.
While Embracer’s name might not be on the box or store page, this European holding company has subtly become one of the biggest companies in the gaming space. If there’s a AA game launching, this studio likely has a hand in it. The company made a big move earlier this year when it acquired major franchises like Tomb Raider after buying Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal. Now, it's continuing to assert its dominance with the acquisition of physical game manufacturer Limited Run Games and the rights to The Lord of the Rings IP.
These acquisitions speak to the continued growth of Embracer Group, which looks like it will become a bigger player in the AAA gaming space in the years to come. While Embracer Group has fallen under the radar for many people over the past decade, it’s worth paying attention to in the years to come.
Starting the embrace
“Embracer Group is a parent company of businesses led by entrepreneurs in PC, console, mobile and board games, and other related media,” the company boasts on its website. “The group has an extensive catalog of over 850 owned or controlled franchises.”

Embracer Group is a holding company that continuously buys a lot of new studios and IP, making it the somewhat obscure parent company of several notable publishers and developers. It doesn’t help that Embracer Group has actually gone by many names over the years.
Originally known as Nordic Games, the company has steadily acquired various IPs and studios since 2011. A significant shift happened in 2016 when the company rebranded to THQ Nordic AB after acquiring the trademark for, and many assets of, the defunct classic publisher at auction.
"Embracer is the best-kept secret in gaming."

Gaming

A Lord of the Rings game is in the works from the studio that created the films’ VFX

Screenshot with orcs attacking in Middle-Earth: Shadows of Mordor.

Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, just announced that it has a new Lord of the Rings game on the way. The new title is being worked on with partner Weta Workshop. It's the latest in a string of Lord of the Rings games announced and on the way this year.

We know that the new title will be set in Middle-earth, but that's all for now. However, fans can be assured that this may be one of the most accurate games released under the franchise name to date thanks to Weta Workshop, which is known for its screen work on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, along with other movies like James Cameron's Avatar and Denis Villeneuve's Dune. The company recently established an interactive game division and is using it to bring this new partnership with Private Division to life.

Gaming

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum delayed ‘a few months’ to meet player expectations

Gollum from The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been delayed by "a few months" in order to meet the community's expectations, the game's developer has announced. It was supposed to launch September 1, but will now release at a later, undisclosed date.

This was confirmed via the game's official Twitter account today, with a message from developer Daedalic Entertainment. It's unclear when the game will launch now, but Daedalic said it will update the community with the exact timing "in the near future." Though it hasn't been confirmed, it's possible this game will now come out in 2023 if it doesn't manage to make a November or December release.