Overview
- Late June 2026 the studio announced that co‑founder Valerio Di Donato has bought back full ownership from Embracer, returning 34BigThings to independent operation.
- Leadership will be led by co‑founders Valerio Di Donato and Giuseppe Enrico Franchi with Daniel Giagnorio joining as chief financial officer.
- 34BigThings says it grew to more than 70 employees under Embracer after its 2020 acquisition and is now Italy’s second‑largest independent game studio.
- The studio has publicly teased a forthcoming ‘major title’ built on a well‑known existing intellectual property to be revealed later in 2026 and disclosed additional major projects planned for 2027 and 2028, language that should be read as a company announcement rather than independent confirmation of release details.
- The buyback’s financial terms were not disclosed and commentators place the move against Embracer’s wider multi‑year restructuring that has included layoffs and studio sales, leaving questions about Embracer’s role and the transaction’s financial impact.