Video game giant Embracer Group buys floundering Dark Horse Comics

Embracer Group has been on a shopping spree lately, and the latest of their purchases include comic book publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

The indie comics publisher has published classics such as Hellboy, 300, and The Umbrella Academy. Dark Horse also has a significant number of tie-in comics and merchandise for video games like The Witcher, Dragon Age, and Apex Legends.

With 300 IPs to mine, including properties such as The Mask, Timecop and Hellboy — all of which turned into movies — as well as The Umbrella Academy brought to series by Netflix, this acquisition works favourably for the publisher.

"The synergies that exist with the Embracer network of companies promise exciting new opportunities not only for Dark Horse, but also for the creators and companies we work with," said Dark Horse Comics CEO Mike Richardson in a statement.

"I've had a number of compelling conversations with Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors and I'm very impressed with him and what he and his team have built. I have to say, the future for our company has never looked brighter."

On the other hand, acquiring Dark Horse only "strengthens [Embracer's] transmedia capabilities by adding expertise in content development, comics publishing, and film & TV production."

Dark Horse is just one of five companies that Embracer Group announced it was acquiring. The others are Perfect World Entertainment, DIGIC, Shiver Entertainment and Spotfilm Networx.

This article was first published in Geek Culture.