Square Enix Just Sold The Tomb Raider Franchise
2022 has become the year of the acquisition, apparently. The stage has been set for a new era in the gaming industry - Xbox's projected purchase of Activision Blizzard has forced the big names into overdrive, with PlayStation grabbing Bungie seemingly just to keep up with it.
There are a lot of worries tracking the monopolisation of the industry as we tread into uncharted waters, but it certainly seems that the consumer is in mind, despite the unbelievable amounts of money being flaunted at the moment. But it doesn't end there, as a new purchase has been made that will affect the future of some seriously whopping franchises.
Square Enix Just Dropped Some Of Its Biggest Franchises
Click to enlargeCrikey. In another massive purchase, Square Enix is set to sell Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal and Square Enix Montreal to The Embracer Group, along with a massive swathe of franchises.
The likes of Deus Ex, Tomb Raider, Thief, Sleeping Dogs, and more are being passed into the hands of Embracer. The team that already owns Gearbox and THQ Nordic, but in a $300 million deal, it's frankly an absolute steal.
The deal is likely to go through in the "second quarter of Embracer's financial year 22/23," which is set between July and September this year. While some are hopeful that this will lead to a brighter future for Ms. Croft, others are rightly cautious.
What Does The Square Enix Deal Mean?
Click to enlargeThere is a lot of discussion now as to what comes next for the franchises owned by Square Enix - and it'll be good for some and bad for others, it seems.
We know there's a new Tomb Raider title on the way, and that Deus Ex could be up for a big return as a result of its sales upon launch - but the company were seemingly a little quiet on Sleeping Dogs during a press conference. Elsewhere, a lot of fans are sceptical about the future of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy as a result of its underperformance, sales-wise.
There's a lot left to be addressed about this purchase, and if it bodes well for the futures of the games under the wings of the three departments sold - but we'll just have to wait and see what comes of it all. Regardless, though, Embracer has come out of this deal incredibly nicely. Watch as they accumulate a Scrooge McDuck-esque pool of coins.