Tag: Embracer

'The Lord of the Rings' and 'Tomb Raider' are considered the least exploited franchises in the world. So far

Aren’t you absolutely fed up and with a brutal overindulgence in franchises? Everything, everywhere, seems dominated by franchises, and the original movies that manage to break through often evolve into new franchises themselves. That’s why it’s so nice when we see one that isn’t overexploited, like The Lord of the Rings or Tomb Raider… but the dream doesn’t last forever. Sigh. One franchise to rule them all And you might say, rightly: But haven’t we had a series and 7 movies of The Lord of the Rings, with another 2 in preparation, in addition to countless video games? […]

Are you not absolutely fed up and with a brutal overload of franchises? Everything, everywhere, seems dominated by franchises, and the original movies that manage to break through often evolve into new franchises themselves. That’s why it’s so nice when we see one that isn’t overexploited, like The Lord of the Rings or Tomb Raider… but the dream doesn’t last forever. Sigh.

A franchise to rule them all

And you might say, rightly: But haven’t we had a series and 7 movies of The Lord of the Rings, with another 2 in preparation, in addition to countless video games? And how many versions of Tomb Raider do we already have, counting the series that Amazon Prime Video is making? Yes, right!? Well, it turns out that Lars Wingefors, which sounds like a made-up name but is the head of the Embracer group, owner of the rights to both, has described them as “among the most underrated franchises in the industry” and has decided to place them where, I suppose, they deserve.

Thus, Embracer has now split into a new company that will handle everything related to these intellectual properties, Fellowship Entertainment, which will take on even more brands. The idea is that starting this year, the development, publication, and licensing of new games based on these franchises will begin, with a direction for the intellectual property that spans games, movies, and other consumer areas. Consumer areas! Just what fans are asking for!

All of this, of course, while they continue to throw people out on the street. The truth is that the current entertainment industry is a delight.

The Lord of the Rings will have a new video game from the creators of the most celebrated RPG of 2025

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most beloved and celebrated franchises by the public, but it hasn’t been very prolific in video games in recent years. Or not as much as we would like. That seems to be changing in the near future with the announcement of a new video game based on the franchise by the creators of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The kind of RPG that fans are hoping for In a tweet, they announced that they are working on new video games. One of them is an open-world RPG based in Middle-earth, the main setting of the adventures of […]

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most beloved and celebrated franchises by the public, but it hasn’t been very prolific in video games in recent years. Or not as much as we would like. That seems to be changing in the near future with the announcement of a new video game based on the franchise by the creators of Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

The RPG class that fans are waiting for

In a tweet they announced that they are working on new video games. One of them is an open-world RPG based on Middle-earth, the main setting of The Lord of the Rings adventures. The other is a new Kingdom Come adventure, although they have not clarified whether it is Kingdom Come: Deliverance III or some kind of spinoff, now that its creative designer has left the studio to pursue a career in film.

All of this coincides with the news that Embracer, the current owners of the rights to Tolkien’s adaptations, will split next year into two groups: Fellowship Entertainment and Embracer. The former will be dedicated to managing the IP of important rights such as The Lord of the Rings and Tomb Raider, in addition to the major studios they have, such as Warhorse Studios itself. The second will consist of smaller studios, the publishers PLAION and Limited Run Games, and the THQ Nordic group. The logic or reason for the separation between these two groups has not been explained.

Kingdome Come: Deliverance II was one of the most discussed games of 2025 and, for many people, the best RPG of the year. So it is interesting to see what its studio, Warhorse, will do with the rights to The Lord of the Rings. But we will still have to wait to find out, because no images or dates have been revealed yet for what will be Tolkien’s future in video games.

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One of the most peculiar versions of one of the most important cult games on PC arrives on PlayStation 5

Deus Ex, one of the most iconic games in PC history, is scheduled to be released on PlayStation 5 through the PS+ service in 2025. This release includes the 2002 version of the game, which was originally designed for the PS2 and is known for being a limited adaptation compared to its PC counterpart. Deus Ex has not aged a day on PC, although on PS2… The PS2 version of Deus Ex features significant cuts, as, due to the console’s memory limitations, the levels were reduced and elements […]

Deus Ex, one of the most iconic games in PC history, is scheduled to be released on PlayStation 5 through the PS+ service in 2025. This release includes the 2002 version of the game, which was originally designed for the PS2 and is known for being a limited adaptation compared to its PC counterpart.

Deus Ex has not aged a day on PC, although on PS2…

The PS2 version of Deus Ex features significant cuts, as due to the console’s memory limitations, the levels were reduced and key elements, such as location-based damage and the quick inventory system, were removed. However, there are some notable improvements, such as a completely re-recorded orchestral soundtrack and computer-generated video scenes, which provide a sense of nostalgia even though it is an inferior experience.

Despite its limitations, some critics like the author of an article from PC Gamer believe that this release is valuable for archival and preservation purposes, although they do not recommend it as the first option for new players wanting to experience the Deus Ex universe. The critique suggests that the original experience on PC remains irreplaceable.

On the other hand, there is a growing hope that Embracer Group, the company that owns the rights to Deus Ex, can revitalize forgotten intellectual properties. While confidence in Embracer’s ability to do so is low, there is a desire for initiatives that bring important titles from their archive back to life, including more playable versions of other games like Deus Ex: Invisible War.

In conclusion, the return of this classic may not be the definitive experience, but its availability on modern platforms is a step towards preserving a legacy that many players still value.

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The creators of Tomb Raider in a difficult situation after laying off 17 employees

Crystal Dynamics has announced the layoff of 17 employees as part of a workforce restructuring, in an effort to better align the business needs with the studio’s future aspirations. In a statement published on Twitter, the company acknowledged that the decision was not made lightly, but was deemed necessary for the long-term success of the organization. A challenging time for the company The last few years have been difficult for Crystal Dynamics, especially after the poor performance of Marvel’s Avengers, a live service game that was pulled from the market only […]

Crystal Dynamics has announced the layoff of 17 employees as part of a workforce restructuring, in an effort to better align the business needs with the future aspirations of the studio. In a statement published on Twitter, the company acknowledged that the decision was not made lightly, but it was deemed necessary for the long-term success of the organization.

A difficult time for the company

The last few years have been difficult for Crystal Dynamics, especially after the poor performance of Marvel’s Avengers, a live service game that was pulled from the market just three years after its release in 2020. This situation has raised concerns about the stability of the studio, especially after its acquisition by Embracer in 2022, a move that returned the Tomb Raider franchise to its original team at a challenging time for the parent company.

Despite the layoffs, Crystal Dynamics has stated that the job cuts “will not alter our current project plans.” The studio is working on a reboot of Perfect Dark in collaboration with The Initiative and on a new Tomb Raider title, the first since Shadow of the Tomb Raider, released in 2018. However, since the reveal of concept art in 2024, no significant updates have been shared about these projects.

While the figure of 17 layoffs is not alarming compared to the tens of thousands of jobs that have been lost in the video game industry recently, each layoff has a real impact on the lives of those affected and raises questions about the future of the studio. Crystal Dynamics has also worked on remasters of classic titles, such as the Tomb Raider games and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, thus demonstrating a commitment to diversifying its portfolio while facing this difficult period.

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