Breaking News: Acquisition Talks in Japan
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Sony is in advanced negotiations to acquire Kadokawa Corporation, the media conglomerate that owns the renowned studio FromSoftware, creators of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring. Reuters reports this information from two sources close to the negotiations. The deal is expected to be signed in the coming weeks. While Sony declined to comment on the inquiry, Kadokawa’s spokesperson stated they cannot comment at this time. Sony previously acquired a 2% stake in Kadokawa and a 14.09% stake in FromSoftware. Kadokawa Corporation’s portfolio includes development studios ACQUIRE, Gotcha Games, and Spike Chunsoft, along with various franchises and products, including anime and toys. The market value before this news was $2.7 billion.
Impact on Gaming Future of Elden Ring and Others
The primary concern for fans is the future of Elden Ring if the acquisition succeeds. The souls-like action RPG has sold over 20 million copies. A crucial question remains: Will Sony make FromSoftware its dedicated studio, or will it operate independently like Bungie was supposed to (before project development issues)? This decision will determine whether Xbox players will see future souls-like hits. It’s worth noting that FromSoftware owns the rights to Elden Ring.
Upcoming Projects and Speculation
According to recent unverified reports from insider Shpeshal Nick of the XboxEra podcast, FromSoftware may be working on Dark Souls 3 Remastered. While fans particularly desire a new version of Bloodborne, FromSoftware’s CEO has long maintained that all Bloodborne-related decisions rest with Sony.
