After being hit with rounds of layoffs and selling off its major players like Gearbox Software, gaming company Embracer Group has announced its plans to split into three companies: Asmodee Group, Coffee Stain & Friends and Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends. Each company will be listed as a separate, public company.
As reported by IGN, Asmodee Group, Coffee Stain & Friends and Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends will all serve different functions. Asmodee Group will be a tabletop games publisher; Coffee Stain & Friends will focus on the development of A/AA and indie games for console, PC and mobile; and Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends will primarily focus on AAA game development as well as The Lord of the Rings and Tomb Raider intellectual properties.
Asmodee Group is currently developing several licensed tabletop games for The Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Game of Thrones, Netflix, Lego and Star Wars, while Coffee Stain & Friends houses over 200 IPs including Deep Rock Galactic and Goat Simulator. Finally, Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends owns many studios like Crystal Dynamics, Dambuster Studios, Eidos-Montréal, Flying Wild Hog Studios, Tripwire, Vertigo Games, Warhorse Studios and 4A Games.
Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends also has access to larger IPs like Dead Island, Killing Floor, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, The Lord of the Rings, Metro and Tomb Raider, among many others.
Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors commented on the split into three companies:
“This move has been made with the intention to unleash the full potential of each team and provide them with their own leadership and strategic direction. This is the start of a new chapter, a chapter that I intend to remain part of as an active, committed, and supportive shareholder of all three new entities, with an evergreen horizon. This move towards three independent companies reinforces Embracer’s vision of backing entrepreneurs and creators with a long-term mindset, allowing them to continue to deliver unforgettable experiences for gamers and fans across the globe.”
Source: IGN
