Embracer Group, the parent company of huge gaming giants like THQ Nordic, Gearbox, and Deep Silver owner Koch Media, has released its financials both for Q4 2020 and for the full financial year. It's been a strong one for the group, and there are big plans in the works.
What kind of year has Embracer Group had, and where does Valheim fit in?
You can see a full breakdown of Embracer's performance over the last year right here. Suffice it to say that the group's fortunes have improved considerably, and they weren't exactly shabby before. Net sales for the quarter are up 80% over last year, while net sales for the total year are up 72%. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this performance has been driven in part by Valheim, which has proven phenomenally popular in the three months since its February release. Valheim sold over 6.8 million copies up to March 2021, which is remarkable given it hadn't even been out for two months at that point. Embracer says it expects Valheim to sell a further 1-1.2 million copies by the end of June.
Embracer's financial breakdown for the quarter shows that Valheim publisher Coffee Stain is responsible for the majority of its profits in the last financial quarter of 2020 (January 2021-March 2021). Deep Silver and Saber Interactive are in second and third places, which isn't surprising given that this year saw the release of Deep Silver's Metro Exodus and Saber's 2 million-selling SnowRunner. If you work for an Embracer Group subsidiary (and, given their rate of acquisition, we all soon will), you can pat yourself on the back for a strong quarter and a strong year.
What's next for Embracer Group?
Embracer's frightening rate of acquisition has become something of a meme, but it's set to continue into the future. During January-March 2021 alone, Embracer says it "engaged with more than 150 companies" regarding potentially joining the group, with 20 companies in late-stage talks, including several exclusive letters of intent. Don't be surprised if you see some pretty big names being added to the Embracer roster before 2021 is over.
Tantalizingly, the Embracer Group also says it's currently got 160 game development projects in the pipeline. Over 66% of these projects are "new IPs or games based on IPs [the group plans] to revitalize". The IPs into which the group is planning to breathe new life haven't had any new games or content created for at least five years, and given the dizzying amount of IPs Embracer technically owns, this prospect is thrilling. Could this mean a new Ride to Hell Retribution game, or perhaps a follow-up to Saints Row IV? We can but hope (or fear). Naturally, Embracer is playing its cards close to its chest, but watch this space for more info.
Which IPs do you want to see Embracer revive? Let us know in the comments below!
