This news comes directly from Randy Pitchford's lips twitter feed. Blackbird Interactive are creating the game, but Gearbox stepped in and let them use the Homeworld IP.
The developers were given financial and production support, meaning the studio's current pre-release funding plans will likely be changing big time.
At present Hardware: Shipbreakers was offering Closed Beta access for those who bought the $100 VIP package via their website, but now the entire project is under new management and dropping F2P, what's happening?
"With our investment, Homeworld Shipbreakers can be a proper commercial release. No need for F2P," tweeted Gearbox Software boss Randy Pitchford. It was in response to a fan asking that F2P be dropped. Homeworld: Shipbreakers is being worked on by original Homeworld developers now at Blackbird Interactive.