Last week it emerged that a mysterious party that wasn’t teamPixel had picked up the Homeworld IP from the now-defunct THQ. Today, Gearbox Software has pulled off its mask, yelled “ha-HA!” and revealed itself as that mystery purchaser.
A statement on Gearbox’s website reads as follows:
Gearbox Software has prevailed as the highest bidder in the acquisition of the Homeworld franchise from THQ. Brian Martel, Gearbox Software’s Chief Creative Officer, has great love and respect for Relic’s brilliant, fun and innovative game and personally spearheaded the acquisition.
Brian intends as first priority to direct Gearbox’s interest to preserve and assemble the purest form of the original acclaimed and beloved games, Homeworld and Homeworld 2, with the intent of making them accessible on today’s leading digital platforms.
So, by the sounds of that their first intent is to secure the first two Homeworld titles and get them on “leading digital platforms” (presumably Steam, GoG, GamersGate et al.)
What they do with the IP from there remains to be seen. With stinkers like Aliens: Colonial Marines and Duke Nukem Forever in their back catalogue (as well as better-received games like Borderlands) you can never really tell what Gearbox will come up with.
The developer is inviting comments on its forum about where to take the IP from here, so if you have strong views that may be the place to air them.
According to a new Yahoo finance article, Gearbox paid $1.35 million USD for the IP.
