Gearbox acquires rights to Homeworld IP

Borderlands developer Gearbox Software has acquired the rights to former THQ IP Homeworld.

In the final auction to sell off THQ assets, Gearbox beat a number of rivals as the highest bidder for the space strategy game.

It is not yet clear how much the developer paid to obtain rights to the IP.

The studio revealed it would be releasing the original Homeworld and Homeworld 2 on "today’s leading digital platforms", suggesting the titles will be remade for Steam, and possibly even iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices.

"Brian Martel, Gearbox Software’s Chief Creative Officer, has great love and respect for Relic’s brilliant, fun and innovative game and personally spearheaded the acquisition," read a statement from the studio.

"Brian intends as first priority to direct Gearbox’s interest to preserve and assemble the purest form of the original acclaimed and beloved games, Homeworld and Homeworld 2, with the intent of making them accessible on today’s leading digital platforms."

Final bids for remaining THQ IP, sold off separately from an initial auction earlier this year, were believed to have been filed by a court deadline of April 15th.

As well as Homeworld, other remaining properties included Darksiders and Red Faction, as well as a number of other owned and licensed software including Supreme Commander and Worms.

In total, the auction is expected to raise around $6m-to-£7m.