Aspyr Media has revealed that it intends to acquire Beamdog, the Canadian game company founded by BioWare co-founder Trent Oster and former BioWare lead programmer Cameron Tofer. Some of the games that the studio has worked on include the Wii version of MDK2, Neverwinter NIghts: Enhanced Edition, and MythForce, a first-person fantasy roguelite title that will launch in early access next week on April 20 via the Epic Games Store (gameplay trailer below). Beamdog also runs a separate division called Overhaul Games, whose projects include MDK2 HD and Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. There doesn’t seem to be any indication of how much Aspyr paid for Beamdog, but it has promised that it’ll continue operating as an independent studio.
“Beamdog is a tremendously talented group that we’ve admired for a long time,” said Ted Staloch, CEO of Aspyr. “Their development philosophy and studio vision are perfectly aligned with ours. We look forward to seeing them realize their ambition with MythForce while maximizing the long-term potential of an incredible archive of classic games.”
“This acquisition will open up a ton of exciting opportunities for us,” said Beamdog CEO Trent Oster. “Beamdog can now focus our talent, efforts and imagination on building the great games we want to play while properly looking after established fan-favorite RPGs. Beamdog’s first original IP is a fun-filled start to our studio’s next chapter.”
Aspyr Media, an Embracer Group Company, Enters into Agreement to Acquire Beamdog (Games Press)
AUSTIN, Texas — April 13, 2022 — Today Aspyr Media, a wholly owned subsidiary of Embracer’s Saber Interactive operative group, has entered into an agreement to acquire the video game studio Beamdog. Best known for bringing beloved Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games like Baldur’s Gate and Planescape: Torment to desktop, tablets and modern consoles, Beamdog will operate as an independent studio within Aspyr. The closing of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and other agreed-upon closing conditions.
Founded in 2009 by former BioWare leads Trent Oster and Cameron Tofer, Beamdog is one of Canada’s most established game studios. Its team of 80 artists, designers and developers has relationships with top licensors, including Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro, as well as an impressive catalogue of RPG titles. Through the acquisition, Aspyr will add a veteran North American development team, which will continue to be led by Oster.
The two companies will collaborate closely on Beamdog’s newly revealed MythForce, which Aspyr will publish as an early access title on the Epic Games Store on April 20, 2022. Inspired by beloved ‘80s cartoon franchises like Thundercats and He-Man, MythForce unites colorful swords and sorcery with gripping first-person combat in a roguelite adventure.