Swedish Embracer Group AB Holding (“Embracer”), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Saber Interactive, has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of Kyiv/Malta-based 4A Games Limited (“4A Games”) famous for Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light и Metro Exodus games.
The deal amounts to $45 million, of which $25 million is paid in cash and $20 million in shares (50% of which will be unblocked in a year, and another 50% in two years), the Embracer reported on its website.
In addition, 4A Games will receive up to $35 million ($15 million in cash and $20 million in shares) if the publisher’s goals are met within five years. The total amount of the deal could be as big as $80 million.
At the same time, it is expected that gross sales of 4A Games’ games for 2020 will bring about EUR 20 million, and the studio’s operating profit will be EUR 12 million.
“Through the acquisition, Saber Interactive onboards a reputable team of over 150 people across two studios in Malta and Ukraine as well as best-in-class internally developed and owned First-Person-Shooter (FPS) technology to the Group,” the Embracer says.
“Embracer Group and Saber Interactive are the perfect partners for 4A Games and for our next phase of growth. Together we will continue to build on the Metro franchise and will focus on bringing a multiplayer experience to our fanbase. We look forward to building a new and even more ambitious AAA IP in the near future,” the company quoted Dean Sharpe, CEO 4A Games, as saying.
Embracer Group was formerly known as THQ Nordic AB. One of the subsidiaries; THQ Nordic GmbH shared the same name and trademark as the parent company, THQ Nordic AB (publ). The THQ Nordic GmbH brand and company will continue to operate as a global video game publisher and developer. The Group has an extensive catalogue of over 160 owned franchises, such as Saints Row, Goat Simulator, Dead Island, Darksiders, Metro, MX vs ATV, Kingdoms of Amalur, TimeSplitters, Satisfactory, Wreckfest and World War Z amongst many others.
With its head office based in Karlstad, Sweden, Embracer Group has a global presence through its five operative groups: THQ Nordic GmbH, Koch Media GmbH/Deep Silver, Coffee Stain AB, Amplifier Game Invest and Saber Interactive. The Group has 31 internal game development studios and is engaging more than 3,500 employees and contracted employers in more than 40 countries.
Embracer Group in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 (April-June) reported an 81% increase in revenue up to SEK 2.069 billion ($238.3 million at current exchange rates), and its EBITDA grew 2.5 times – up to SEK 965.2 million.
