Sony is set to acquire From Software parent company

Sony has always had a close relationship with From Software and soon, it looks like the company will own the studio outright. Sony has sent a letter of intent to acquire massive Japanese conglomerate, Kadokawa. 

Kadokawa is not a small company. While the headline here mentions From Software, Kadokawa is far more than a games publisher, with lots of film, animation and book publishing companies under its wing. Overall, Kadokawa owns a 70 percent stake in From Software, with Sony owning just under 15 percent. Acquiring Kadokawa would give Sony the majority of shares and thus, full control of the game studio.

In a statement, Kadokawa confirmed that it has been in talks with Sony about a merger: “There are some articles on the acquisition of KADOKAWA Corporation (hereinafter “the Company”) by Sony Group Inc. However, this information is not announced by the Company. The Company has received an initial letter of intent to acquire the Company’s shares, but no decision has been made at this time.”

Essentially, what this means is that Sony has put its offer forward, in legal writing, and now, the board of directors needs to analyse the offer and see if it is in the best interest of shareholders. As Sony now owns both Crunchyroll and Funimation, the acquisition of Kadokawa would give Sony a mighty hold over the anime and manga market.

KitGuru Says: From Software could become the first studio in history to win two GOTY awards at The Game Awards thanks to Elden Ring getting another nomination this year. It would be tough for Sony to not consider making future From Software titles exclusive to PlayStation if the acquisition goes through. 

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