Sony, the parent company of PlayStation, is reportedly in talks to acquire Kadokawa, the parent company of Elden Ring developer From Software. The two companies have been in discussions, and an acquisition announcement could be made in the coming weeks, according to Reuters.
A potential acquisition would see Sony gaining ownership of Elden Ring and future games from From Software, which is also known for titles like Demon Souls (already owned by Sony) and Dark Souls (published by Bandai Namco). Kadokawa's portfolio extends beyond gaming, encompassing anime and manga franchises such as Re:Zero and Delicious in Dungeon. In 2021, Sony acquired the anime streaming service Crunchyroll for over $1 billion.
Elden Ring, one of the world's biggest video games, has sold over 25 million copies and was GameSpot's Game of the Year for 2022. Its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, launched in June to critical and commercial acclaim, and is nominated for multiple The Game Awards 2024 categories, including Game of the Year.
Meanwhile, Sony recently closed Firewalk Studios, the developer behind the shooter Concord, following its unsuccessful launch. Earlier this year, Sony also laid off approximately 900 gaming employees and canceled several PlayStation projects.
Source link: https://www.gamespot.com
