Update: Sony is trying to buy Elden Ring and Dark Souls parent company Kadokawa
Sony is in talks to buy FromSoftware's parent company
👀 Sony could add Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series to its portfolio
💰 The company is reportedly in talks to buy FromSoftware’s parent company
📈 Kadokawa owns a 70% stake in FromSoftware
📺 Kadokawa also deals with anime, manga and TV in Japan
Update 11/20/2024: FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa, has confirmed that it has received a letter of intent from Sony about acquiring the company. Previously, the Japanese company declined to comment when asked by Reuters, but a new statement reads:
“There are some articles on the acquisition of Kadokawa Corporation by Sony Group Inc. However, this information is not announced by the Company [Kadokawa]. The Company has received an initial letter of intent to acquire the Company’s shares, but no decision has been made at this time. If there are any facts that should be announced in the future, we will make an announcement in a timely and appropriate manner.”
Original story: Sony is reportedly in talks to buy Kadokawa, the parent-company of developer FromSoftware, which created the immensely popular Elden Ring and Dark Souls series.
Reuters reports Sony is interesting in adding Kadokawa to its entertainment portfolio, as the company also deals with anime, manga, TV, and film – an area where Sony has already invested heavily.
Kadokawa owns other developers aside FromSoftware, too, including Spike Chunsoft, which makes the Danganronpa series, Octopath Traveler developer Acquire, and Gotcha Gotcha Games.
Talks between the two Japanese companies are ongoing, but if successful, a deal could be signed in the coming weeks. Kadokawa’s market value was around $2.7 billion prior to Reuters report, and Sony already owns a 2% stake in the company and a 14% stake in FromSoftware. Both Sony and Kadokawa declined to comment on the report.
Sony will hope that if it acquires Kadokawa, it will prove more fruitful than some of its more recent purchases. After the failure of Concord, it shutdown developer Firewalk, which it only acquired in 2023. Bungie has struggled since being purchased by Sony, too, cutting hundreds of jobs as it struggles to keep Destiny 2 relevant.
Xbox fans will hope that if Sony buys Kadokawa and subsequently FromSoftware, it won’t make Dark Souls or future Elden Ring games exclusive. The studio’s games currently release on all platforms, give or take, and are incredibly popular.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.