New to Shacknews? Signup for a Free Account

Already have an account?

Video Game Release Dates 2024Elden Ring strategy guideShacknews Direct: Introducing Bubbletron!Destiny 2 Complete Strategy Guide
Video Game Release Dates 2024
Elden Ring strategy guide
Shacknews Direct: Introducing Bubbletron!
Destiny 2 Complete Strategy Guide

Embracer Group acquires 13 new studios including Zen Pinball & Shadow Warrior devs

The THQ Nordic and Koch Media parent company has added a massive stable of dev and QA studios to its stable.
TJ Denzer
TJ Denzer
3

Embracer Group has been gathering up studios left and right alongside its already potent THQ Nordic and Saber Interactive groups. Following recent Q3 financial reporting, the media megacompany dropped news of 13 new acquisitions coming to the overall Embracer Group stable. Among the many included were Zen Studios, popular publishers of virtual pinball titles, and Flying Wild Hog, developers of the Shadow Warrior franchise and currently working on Shadow Warrior 3.

Embracer Group dropped a full presentation detailing its 13 new acquisitions of game developers, QA, and PR groups on its Investor Relations webpages on November 18, 2020. Among the many studios acquired, standouts include Zen Studios, Flying Wild Hog, Purple Lamp, and Snapshot Games. Zen Studios has been creating popular virtual pinball games for years while Flying Wild Hog continues to work on the classic shooter franchise, Shadow Warrior. Meanwhile, Snapshot Games is known for original XCOM creator Julian Gollop’s return to strategy gaming with Phoenix Point and Purple Lamp had already worked on SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated with THQ Nordic.

The likes of Purple Lamp and Sandbox Strategies have already been working with Embracer Group companies, where the likes of Snapshot Games and Flying Wild Hog are a bit more of a surprise.
The likes of Purple Lamp and Sandbox Strategies have already been working with Embracer Group companies, where the likes of Snapshot Games and Flying Wild Hog are a bit more of a surprise.

Below is the full list of studios and groups in Embracer Group’s acquisition.

  • Coffee Stain North (Goat Simulator, Deep Rock Galactic)
  • Quantic Lab
  • Snapshot Games (Phoenix Point)
  • Flying Wild Hog (Shadow Warrior)
  • Purple Lamp Studios (Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated)
  • 34BigThings (Redout, Super Inefficient Golf)
  • Mad Head Games (Shadowplay, NeverTales, Wanderlust)
  • Nimble Giant Entertainment (Quantum League, Champions of Regnum)
  • Sandbox Strategies
  • Zen Studios (Pinball FX, Zen Pinball)
  • Silent Games
  • A Thinking Ape (Kingdoms at War, Party in my Dorm)
  • Iugo Mobile Entertainment (The Walking Dead: Road to Survival)

With so many pickups, Embracer’s latest investment seems to be spread throughout mobile gaming, traditional gaming, public relations, and QA. It might not seem like a Microsoft Bethesda-level business move, but with groups like Zen Studios, Coffee Stain North, and Flying Wild Hog under its many wings, Embracer’s collection of gaming studios is looking increasingly impressive.

Senior News Editor
Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.

Filed Under
From The Chatty
Refresh Go To Thread
Hello, Meet Lola