The Embracer Group has simply made most likely one in every of its largest acquisitions to this point. The firm has announced that it’s entered into an settlement to wholly purchase Middle-Earth Enterprises from The Saul Zaentz Company. Going ahead, it’s going to function beneath the newly-established Embracer Freemode.
For these unaware, Middle-Earth Enterprises owns and oversees the mental property catalogue and rights to movies, video video games, merchandising, theme parks, and extra regarding The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, in addition to rights in different Middle-earth-related literary works licensed by the Tolkien Estate and HarperCollins.
That’s proper, the Embracer Group simply owns all of The Lord of the Rings now, not simply the license to develop video games based mostly on it.
“I am truly excited to have The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, one of the world’s most epic fantasy franchises join the Embracer family, opening up more transmedia opportunities including synergies across our global group,” mentioned the Embracer Group’s CEO and founder Lars Wingefors. “I am thrilled to see what lies in the future for this IP with Freemode and Asmodee as a start within the group. Going forward, we also look forward to collaborating with both existing and new external licensees of our increasingly stronger IP portfolio.”
“We at the Zaentz Company have had the honor over the past half century of stewarding the Tolkien rights so that Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fans worldwide could enjoy award winning epic films, challenging video games, first rate theatre and merchandise of every variety,” mentioned Marty Glick, COO of The Saul Zaentz Company. “We could not be more thrilled that it is Embracer now taking up the responsibility and we are confident their group will take it to new heights and dimensions while maintaining homage to the spirit of these great literary works.”
This is one in every of a number of current acquisitions made by the Embracer Group, with the corporate additionally buying sport growth studios like Tripwire Interactive, Limited Run Games, Tuxedo Labs, and extra. Read extra on that through here.
