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Saber Interactive has removed references to Embracer from its site, suggesting it’s been sold
UPDATE: Sale confirmed
Saber Interactive has removed references to Embracer Group from its website, suggesting reports of a sale are accurate.
Late last month a Bloomberg report, citing a source familiar with the transaction, said the studio was being sold to a group of private investors in a deal worth up to $500 million.
At the time, the Saber website featured the studio logo above the words “an Embracer Group company”.
Update
Embracer has officially sold off Saber Interactive for $247 million.
In an announcement to investors, Embracer said the sale meant it would now cease all operations in Russia, while improving its cash flow.
Saber is being sold to a group of private investors under Beacon Interactive, a company controlled by Saber Interactive co-founder Matthew Karch.
The site’s bio also read: “Saber Interactive is a US-based developer and publisher of video games. Consisting of over 20 studios and more than 2,500 employees worldwide, we are one of the key operative business units of Embracer Group.”
However, as noted by X user @lejooon, at some point in early March the site changed to remove references to Embracer Group, with the “an Embracer Group company” message removed from underneath the logo.
The bio has also been hastily edited, and now reads: “Saber Interactive is a US-based developer and publisher of video games. Consisting of over 20 studios and more than 2,500 employees worldwide.”
The changes suggest that Bloomberg’s report was accurate and that if a sale hasn’t already been finalised it appeares to be imminent.
The deal would result in Saber becoming a privately owned company with around 3,500 employees in total across its studios worldwide (including the US, Russia and Portugal).
Bloomberg’s report said Saber would also continue to work on its remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic following the deal.
Further reading
Star Wars: KoTOR remake reportedly still in development at Saber Interactive
The fate of the long-in development remake is unclear
Embracer has been carrying out a widespread money-saving operation, announcing in June 2023 that it was implementing a restructuring plan which would involve the closure of studios and the cancellation of projects.
The restructuring resulted in 1,387 job cuts, or about 8% of its global workforce, during the six months ended in December. This included cutting 871 internal game developers, 252 internal non-developers, and 264 external developers.
Embracer also confirmed last month that, during a six-month period in 2023, it cancelled 29 unannounced games.
