Key Takeaways
- Sony is in talks to amass Kadokawa, the parent company of FromSoftware.
- Potential acquisition would give Sony ownership of multiple media brands, not only video games.
- Sony’s history of studio acquisitions, including some less successful purchases, could make this deal dangerous.
Sony is reportedly in talks to purchase Elden Ring and Dark Souls developer FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa.
The report comes from Reuters who say that Sony is seeking to “add to its entertainment portfolio.”
Sony In Talks To Buy Kadokawa
Kadokawa is probably going a reputation not overly familiar to the Western World, nevertheless it is one in all the largest media conglomerates in Japan. The corporate owns a 70 percent stake in FromSoftware, in addition to Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero developer Spike Chunsoft, and dozens of anime, manga and media brands.
Based on Reuters, talks are ongoing between the 2 sides, and the deal might be closed “in the approaching weeks.”
Talks are ongoing between the 2 sides, and the deal might be closed ‘in the approaching weeks.’
The acquisition of Kadokawa could be the most recent in a protracted line of development studio acquisitions from Sony. Over the past few years, the PlayStation creators have purchased Bungie, Insomniac Games, Haven Studios, and the recently shuttered Firewalk studios.
Nonetheless, while Sony seems keen on acquisitions, its track record hasn’t been the most effective. The recently-released Concord was heralded as one in all gaming’s biggest-ever flops, causing its developers to shut, and multiple other PlayStation-owned studios have faced layoffs in recent times, including a whole bunch of staff from Bungie, which Sony reportedly “overpaid” for.
Should the acquisition be finalized, it would likely bring further parity between PlayStation and Xbox creator Microsoft, which, over the previous few years, has made some major acquisitions of its own. In 2022, Microsoft confirmed the acquisition of Call of Duty owner Activision for $70 billion, and a couple of years prior, it purchased Fallout and Skyrim developer Bethesda for a reported $7.5 billion.
While Elden Ring and Dark Souls is probably not on the identical business level as Call of Duty or Skyrim, it would definitely be a feather in Sony’s cap.
Each Sony and Kadokawa declined to comment when asked by Reuters.
