Xbox Reportedly Almost Bought Borderlands Developer Gearbox ✖ Developer Gearbox Software announced yesterday that it had been purchased by Embracer Group for $1.3 billion. The move was one that came as somewhat of a surprise, but it doesn’t seem as though Embracer was the only one eyeing Gearbox from afar. According to new reporting from Brad Sams, Microsoft was also potentially interested in picking up Gearbox and having the developer join its Xbox Game Studios lineup. Sams only goes as far to say that Microsoft “looked at Gearbox” but doesn’t go any further than that. As such, it’s unknown if a deal of any sort between the two parties was ever formally put on the table. Still, it’s an interesting possibility to think about.