Borderlands studio Gearbox bought by THQ Nordic parent company Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Borderlands studio Gearbox bought by THQ Nordic parent company Embracer also picks up Aspyr in latest spending spree. News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 3 Feb 2021 22 comments UPDATE 1.30pm UK: 2K will continue to publish unannounced but inevitable future entries in Gearbox's Borderlands series, it has said, even though the developer is now part of Embracer. "As the proud publisher of the Borderlands franchise, we are happy for our partners at Gearbox and this exciting new chapter for their organisation," the company said. "The merger does not change 2K's relationship with Gearbox nor our role as the publisher for the Borderlands IP or any other projects we are currently working on with the studio. We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with this incredibly talented team and delivering many more exciting entertainment experiences to gaming fans around the world." ORIGINAL STORY 11.15am UK: Borderlands developer Gearbox has become the latest studio to be bought by Embracer, the enormous umbrella company which in turn owns THQ Nordic, Koch Media and Saber Interactive. Gearbox owns the rights to the Borderlands franchise, so expect more of that. The studio also owns Brothers in Arms and Homeworld. The $363m deal includes six-year performance targets for further compensation, up to $1.3bn total. Huh, I wonder if the next six years will include a Borderlands 4 and 5? Watch on YouTube All 550 current Gearbox employees will be retained, and controversial CEO Randy Pitchford will continue to lead the studio. The deal likely means Embracer will handle all Borderlands projects going forward [UPDATE: Or not - see 2K's statement on it continuing publisher duties above for more]. 2K, which publishes the franchise, shuttered its Australian studio that made spin-off Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel back in 2015. In other Embracer news, the group also announced a $100m deal to buy Aspyr Media, the US developer that has made a name for itself working on porting big franchises like Borderlands and Star Wars to new platforms. We will watch its career with great interest! Rounding out today's Embracer news, the group announced a $640m deal to merge with mobile publisher Easybrain. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 13 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store