Embracer Group

Embracer Group is the Swedish parent company of THQ Nordic, Koch Media/Deep Silver, Saber Interactive and Gearbox Software, and the owner of over 120 game development studios.

The company was founded in 2011 within the Nordic Games Group as Nordic Games Licensing.

Following the purchase of assets and intellectual property from publishers including THQ, in 2016, the company changed its name to THQ Nordic. In 2019, the parent company changed its name to Embracer Group.

There are six operative groups within the company: CDE Entertainment, Dark Horse Media, Deca Games, Freemode, Plaion, and THQ Nordic.

Lars Wingfors, who founded the company, had previously founded several businesses before Embracer Group, including one that sold used video games and comics. In 2004, he invested in a new limited company called Game Outlet Europe.

Following its success in selling unsold inventory from other video game companies, Nordic Games Publishing was created in 2008 as a video game publishing subsidiary of Game Outlet Europe. In 2011, Nordic Games Licensing was established and became the holding company within Nordic Games Holding.

In 2014, after buying assets from bankrupt THQ, the company gained the THQ trademark.

The company acquired Koch Media, Coffee Stain Studios, and Game Outlet Europe, as well as investing in start-up developers. Once the company changed its name to Embracer Group in 2019, it acquired Saber Interactive, Deca Games, Palindrome Interactive, Rare Earth Games, Vermila Studios, Gearbox Entertainment, Easybrain, and Aspyr.

Until 2023, the company made many more acquisitions; however, in 2023, the company restructured, reduced debt, and sold certain companies. In 2025, Lars Wingefors resigned and was replaced by Phil Rogers, who is also CEO of Plaion and Crystal Dynamics.