Administrator sells off Empire stock

Empire administrator KPMG is to sell off 212,000 boxed PC and console games from the defunct publisher next month to the highest bidder.

Parties that have some interest in buying the stock are being invited to view the haul in Birmingham on Monday, June 8th between 9am and 1pm, by appointment only.

The buyers’ premium has been set at 15 per cent, with a closing date for bids of Wednesday, June 10th.

The news is unlikely to be warmly received by the 40 ex-Empire staff who lost their jobs when the company went under – and who still remain unpaid for their final eight weeks at the firm.

KPMG sold the rights to Empire’s owned IP to unknown US firm New World IP last month. The licences were then subsequently acquired by New York-based Zoo Games.

MCV asked the CEO of Empire parent Silverstar Holdings, Clive Kabatznik, for details of the company. However, he told us: It’s absolutely unequivocally not owned by or related to me in any way.”

Mark Seremet, CEO of Zoo Games commented: I am incredibly excited about the prospect of remaking some of the Empire IP, bringing others online, and generating revenue from the current titles.”