In a typical display of irreverence, Borderlands 4 introduces a new location that seems to directly criticize Gearbox Software’s recent corporate history. The upcoming looter-shooter features a settlement called “Embracer’s Bluff,” a rundown town filled with junk and an unappealing group of characters. This discovery, made during early game reviews and previews, hints that the development studio has a viewpoint on its short and turbulent relationship with the Swedish company.
On the game’s map, Embracer’s Bluff is described as an unpleasant sight. The area is filled with strange quests and non-player characters that embrace the series’ dark humor. One standout is a murderous vending machine that attacks customers, along with a talking toilet powered by artificial intelligence. The town is managed by a king-mayor who inexplicably lives in a hot tub surrounded by trash. These satirical features clearly reflect the recent business events that saw Gearbox change ownership.
The reference is quite obvious. Gearbox was bought by the Embracer Group in 2021 for a staggering $1.3 billion during an aggressive acquisition spree. However, after a major investment deal fell through in 2023, the parent company began a significant restructuring process involving mass layoffs and studio closures throughout its extensive portfolio. This financial struggle resulted in the sale of Gearbox to Take-Two Interactive for only $460 million in 2024, marking a significant decrease in value.
The addition of Embracer’s Bluff, a seemingly bleak and dysfunctional location, serves as a symbolic endnote to this chapter in Gearbox’s story. It acts as a reminder of the industry’s unstable nature and the sometimes challenging relationship between a creative studio and its corporate leaders. Including such a sharp reference shows that the developers behind the Borderlands franchise are willing to comment on real-world happenings, even when they are close to home.
