Gearbox picks up Homeworld IP

Gearbox Software has acquired the Homeworld franchise, the Borderlands and Aliens: Colonial Marines developer announced today. The Plano, Texas company prevailed as the top bidder for the series during a recent THQ bankruptcy auction for remaining unsold franchises.

Terms of the deal were not specified and a Gearbox Software representative was not immediately available to comment. Gearbox outbid TeamPixel, which announced last week that a mystery party had offered more cash than it could for the series.

Writing in the Gearbox Software forums, community manager Chris Faylor explained that chief creative officer Brian Martel "personally spearheaded the acquisition." He reportedly has a "great deal of love and respect" for Relic's original Homeworld and Homeworld 2.

No new Homeworld games were announced today, but Gearbox said whatever it makes in the future will preserve the "purest form" of the original games while also making them accessible on today's digital platforms.

Bidding for franchises left unsold after the January auction--including Red Faction and Darksiders (which Crytek USA is interested in)--closed last week. As much as $7 million is expected to be generated from the sale of remaining THQ IP.