Kadokawa Confirms Interest From Sony in Official Statement

Kadokawa has confirmed interest from Sony in an official statement, clarifying that nothing has been decided yet.

[lukasmain]

Lock it down Sony and lets get Bloodborne 2 and Demon's Souls 2 cooking.

[Miraak82]

I'd rather FS work on ER2 or new Ips that they can actually own just incase they ever break away from Sony if this happens, wouldn't want them to become just Sony ponies for their neglected IPs . On the upside of this though I wouldn't mind having an actually Sony 1st party rpg developer which I feel they're lacking . My feeling are mixed on this without even considering the monopoly they would have on the anime/manga side of things

[oldenjon]

Seeing as ER is essentially open world dark souls, do we really need ER2 / ds5 so soon?

[DarXyde]

Can't they just be contracted by Sony?

Without the acquisition?

[goken]

They can be contracted but… it’s like you can call up a girl/guy/others and hook up now and then, then one day you think to yourself “maybe we should go steady” 😛

[GamingSinceForever]

You’re focused on a small portion of the deal. Kadokawa is a large media company which is who Sony is after. FromSoftware is only a portion of the deal.

[Asterphoenix]

Well the bigger picture is the novel/manga part of the industry of Kadokawa and Sony owning a good portion of the anime companies in the US . Well Sony would contract them again if they could but From Software is too busy doing its own thing.

[CrimsonWing69]

Yea ever since Tango Gameworks got dissolved, I’m not exactly gung-ho on acquisitions.

[neutralgamer1992]

These things never used to leak. Now so much stuff leaks ahead of time

[Lionsguard]

Leak? It has to be public information, they're both public companies.

[gold_drake]

currently, the kodakawa enterprise is worth a wooping 4 billion dollars. according to google. might be wrong

[jznrpg]

If/when Sony acquires Kadokawa I hope it means that anime games can start to be a lot more than they are now. The stories are fleshed out they just need to add quality gameplay/environments. It makes financial sense to me since you have anime fans and gamers who would buy these games if they are high quality.

[anast]

This would make sense.

[robtion]

Would love a chainsaw man fighter/arena fighter.

[S2Killinit]

Agreed

[Elantregaless]

Whats wrong with anime games 'now'?

[maniacmayhem]

Is Sony trying to be a monopoly and keep games out of the hands of gamers? Or is this different?

[jznrpg]

So MS should only be allowed to acquire publishers and Sony should sit there? This is a consequence of MS’s actions. This is why we didn’t want ABK to go through. It’s too late to complain now

[maniacmayhem]

Are we going to accuse Sony of the same actions then?

You really believe if ABK didn't go through Sony wouldn't be interested in this company now?

Bless your tender heart

[thesoftware730]

That is besides the point, there is stance you took against this type of acquisition/monopoly type situations.

It's about you word and your stance..with the it's ok posture you are taking now shows you only find outrage when it fits your nonsensical fanboy, console warrior BS lol

Your word and "Stances" means very lit

[glennhkboy]

The nature is different. Kadokawa is more renounce for their extensive rights in Japanese literature, films & amine. Gaming is actually their least known business. If Sony can take over Kadokawa, Sony will become a major media player in Japan (currently Sony Japan has only a small footprint in Japanese media outside of gaming & amine).

[Drakul]

You can play MS games on your PS or PC. But Sony has monopoly mind set; release Sony games only on PS or very rarely on PC.

[Lexreborn2]

Anyone who is trying to make someone look like a hypocrite after THEY set the standard is a turd. If you want to try and make it seem like you convinced people into agreeing with your view. You didn’t, the people that were against it STATED they were against it. Then when we were told shut up doesn’t matter what you think NOW you want us to continue to fight when it goes against YOUR interest someone you don’t like is playing by YOUR rules?

Naw, we good… enjoy the game you playing and don’t get mad when the company/entity you hate does it better.

[-Foxtrot]

I thought it was more “you guys allowed MS to buy Zenimax and Activision, two massive publishers so it’s fair game now, why should we be left out”

I hate it but you can’t allow one to do it then make out it’s the end of the world when others do it. It’s shitty but MS opened that avenue so all bets are off now.

[maniacmayhem]

So basically it's okay to do it because MS did it, right? I think this is what is known as hypocrisy.

Here's the thing, MS is basically putting all their games on everything and the kitchen sink when you and others claimed they wouldn't.

You actually believe Sony will do the same if they acquire this studio?

You all love to shit on MS when these deals go down but then make up excuses and rights of passage when Sony does it, and this is proof.

[goken]

@maniacmayhem

Believe me MS is putting it everywhere not because they want to, but because it doesn’t sell (well) on their own platform (xbox). If they did that, they would lose money, nevermind recuperate their the money they spent buying studios.
Sony on the other hand may or may not have the same problem (probably not).
Hey sony and fans weren’t the ones going “exclusive bad” , they just disagreed MS buying these massive publishers. And since MS did it, let’s just say “to not reciprocate is impolite “

[LikAChicken]

@goken @foxtrot

Sooooo...hypocrites...

"hypocrisy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's behavior does not conform; pretense."

There's no way you guys believe that Sony wouldn't do this deal before Microsoft bought ActiBlizz. That's not how capitalistic/business industries think.

[Vits]

No, Sony is trying to establish a monopoly on anime streaming, manga, and light novel publication in the Western market while also becoming the largest company in this segment in Japan, replacing Kadokawa in the current triopoly (Kodansha, Hitotsubashi, and Kadokawa).

It’s a completely different ballpark from what Microsoft did. To put it into perspective, even if Microsoft had acquired Zenimax, ABK, EA, Tencent, Take-Two, and Embracer, it still wouldn’t come close to the level of control Sony would achieve in both the Western and Eastern anime/manga markets if they successfully make this purchase.

The closest comparison would be if Disney managed to swallow up both Comcast and Viacom, or if Microsoft had acquired both Sony PlayStation and Nintendo, establishing a monopoly in the console market. That is the level of control we are talking here.

[Extermin8or3_]

Except the FTC etc already ruled that anime isn't an industry in its own right. It's a sub genre of a much larger entertainment industry.

[Vits]

@Extermin8or3_

Exactly! That’s why this is such a massive problem. The only obstacle between Sony and a full-blown monopoly is how much cash they’re willing to throw around. They’re on track to dominate every anime streaming platform, corner the Western manga market, and seize control of light novel publications. On top of that, they’d cement their place in the tripoly that dictates the flow of source material.

And let’s not pretend Sony’s track record in this “non-industry” inspires confidence. They’ve gutted streaming catalogs, enforced censorship at every turn, and, naturally, hiked up prices for good measure. A monopoly like this is a recipe for disaster even more when a bunch of old-stupid americans don't even get that it is a industry, 3 industries at that.

[mkis007]

This is for anime...they have 1 developer people like. Sony for sure has a borderline anime monopoly if this goes through.

[VersusDMC]

And the dbz sparking zero developer to be fair.

[glennhkboy]

Not exactly.... In terms of Japanese anime, Kadokawa isn't the largest one. Others like Bandi Namco & Sunrise are bigger than Kadokawa. On the other hand, Kadokawa has a very big catalog of Japanese films, like Haven & Earth. Combine this with Sony Film from Hollywood, Sony may have enough films & TV shows (US & Japanese) to start its own steaming service.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Monopoly, no, as this is nowhere near the size of Bethesda + Activision, but games out of gamers hands, yes. They will mostly likely make their games exclusive when acquired. MS going multiplat ain't out of the kindness of their hearts, but of a necessity from a business perspective.

Also it's not that this is okay because MS did it. This is more of a consequence of allowing MS deal to go through. Should this deal go through? No it shouldn't, but MS literally just bought two publishers. It would be like complaining about Nintendo charging for online when MS and Sony have already been doing it already.

[CrashMania]

'Or is this different?'

MS spending a whopping 75 billion to acquire dozens of studios and IPs compared to Sony potentially grabbing a handful for a fraction of that price, I'd say so yeah.

We all know what Phil wanted to do with those IPs, but it turns out spending that much money along with plummeting console sales, stagnant gamepass numbers didn't bode well for making everything in exclusive, so it's going the opposite way almost completely now.

[porkChop]

I'm not worried about the gaming side of things. But in terms of anime this isn't good. Sony bought out and merged Crunchyroll and Funimation, and they own a bunch of other anime studios. They already own so much of that industry it doesn't make any sense to allow them to swallow up even more.

[mkis007]

With how ms was able to purchase acti and bethesda, there is no prayer for this to be blocked. The precedent has been set. Also incoming Republican govt means even MS may be able to do more.

[Extermin8or3_]

Anime isn't considered it's own industry. Regulators already ruled awhile ago now that anime was merely a genre within the wider movie/TV series industry.

[porkChop]

@mkis

Even with ABK and Bethesda, MS is still a small fraction of the industry. The game industry is massive, no one is remotely close to having a monopoly. This is different. Sony literally bought both of the largest anime platforms and merged them together, on top of buying a bunch of separate anime studios. They'd have a very clear monopoly if they add Kadokawa on top of that. I'm not sure Kadokawa has any reason to sell, and I don't think it would get blocked if they did buy them out. I just don't think it's good for anime.

[SoloZelot90]

I think they're interested in kadokawa and are also interested in continuing the partnership that started with demons souls...that game that brought from software to fame.

[anast]

It's different. Hypocrisy is not a sin.

[goken]

To be a hypocrite is to give others the impression that we are holier than we actually are. It is the same as being false, or telling a lie. Jesus pronounced a curse on hypocrites seven times in Mt. 23:13-29.

[gold_drake]

i think the big difference, imo, is that Activision was just soo massive of a publisher/dev team. they had alot of really good, really big franchises that would have absolutely changed the gaming space if they would have stayed exclusive to MS.

i looked into Kadokawas franchises, and while they have good stuff, its not comparable to actlivision in the slightest.

aquistions only suck if people are being layed off in the masses. and thats what happened with Activision unfortunatly. well see what happens with this one.

[Lionsguard]

This is why we the MS acquisitions were frowned upon on the first place because it just starts this tit for tat buying war that benefits no one.

[S2Killinit]

Xbox fans dont get to talk.

[Hofstaderman]

With Kadokawa releasing an official statement this may very well be the first step to officiating the sale. I'm convinced this has more to do with the huge IP library and publishing rights for manga and anime than with acquiring From Software. In any case its both good and bad for anime...more mangas may get greenlit for anime and game adaptations but at the same time Sony will have a chokehold on pretty much a massive chunk of the industry which could very well mean content locked behind subscriptions priced at Sony's discretion.

[Chevalier]

I would add that Kadokawa probably wants to expand anime/manga globally so they need a good partner to do that and having one like Sony that has deals with Netflix, Amazon, HBO for content would help Kadokawa expand exponentially

[Hofstaderman]

Yup, that makes total sense.

[glennhkboy]

Combining Sony Picture from Hollywood & Kadokawa back catalog of Japanese films, Sony may be have enough content to start its own steaming service (at least in Japan).

[Petebloodyonion]

People need to realize that this deal is not primarily about From Software (which is a bonus), but rather about Sony's monopolization of the anime distribution scene..

Source:
https://gizmodo.com/sonys-p...
https://comicbook.com/anime...
https://fandomwire.com/sony...
https://www.hindustantimes....
https://www.sportskeeda.com...
https://www.msn.com/en-in/e...

Just a reminder that Sony terminated access to the "Owned Forever" digital library for FUNANIMATION members following their merger with CrunchyRoll.
https://www.playstationlife...

[Knightofelemia]

This is mainly for anime, manga, Sony has been going heavy spending for anything and every thing anime. And Kadokawa deals a lot in that area.

[anast]

Good news. Hope the deal can get done.

[Aloymetal]

Don't even waste time with the master of alt spamming accounts, just report his a$$.

[anast]

lol

[Deathdeliverer]

Sony will have anime on absolute lock if they acquire them. Seems like nobody is interested in anime but them.

[gold_drake]

which is smart, as the anime/manga space is ever growing.

[Chevalier]

Last year was the 1st year ever that revenue outside of Japan was higher than Japan. With an aging population I think for anime to expand they have to look outside Japansm and having a partner like Sony makes a lot of sense in that regard

[Abnor_Mal]

Go ahead Sony acquire Kodukawa and get your anime house in order.

As far as games, From Software does not publish their own games so this is no where like MS getting big publishers. But if Sony does acquire them then for sure there will never be another Sekiro as Activision owns the rights to that game. There will never be another Dark Souls game, I’m cool with that. The likelihood of a Bloodborne and Demons Souls sequels, which would PS exclusive, possibly coming later to PC. Take full control of the studio unlike what you tried with Bungie giving them feee reign to do as they wished and look how that turned out.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Get the studio lock up the games.

[stonecold3]

activision dont own the sekiro ip it fromsoftware own the ip .

[Abnor_Mal]

True, Activision owns the publishing rights. Now can From make another Seriko without Activision since they own the publishing rights?

Far as I understand that the same thing with Insomiac with Sunset Overdrive, Insomiac owns the rights, but Xbox owns the publishing rights. Making it damn near impossible for there to be a sequel, because that would depend on Sony, MS, and possibly Insomniac hammering out a deal that I don’t see Sony agreeing.

[vTuro24]

This is bad. But of course all the fanboys on this site will be supportive of it.

[Gamingsince1981]

Bad for what ?

[gold_drake]

it depends. this is not the same scenario that we had with activision.

[Michiel1989]

they'll force psn on the single player games, not sell it in 2/3 of all the countries around the world and then yall will say here: SEE IT DOESNT SELL ON PC

[jambola]

I just hope they don't ruin it with constant yapping and forced hints

[Starman69]

Capcom and square Enix next sony 👌

[Notsofast]

sony is looking at the anime side of this deal and the gaming side is a small side of this deal i heard earlier this year sony saying they don't own enough anime

[glennhkboy]

Kadokawa is on of the largest media group in Japan. Not just in gaming, but movie & books as well. So a Sony takeover means Sony will get a lot of Japanese film right, like the war epic Haven & Earth, as well.

[Chevalier]

Some of the best shows from last year too like Delicious in Dungeon and Oshi no Koe are under Kadokawa

[deadchucky]

i am xbox fan more than ps i think sony need the do this deal to keep the competition at high level

[Kekewei]

Imagine every soul game on playstation with the same graphics and performance level as the Demon's Souls Remake!

[TheCaptainKuchiki]

Damn Sony

[AsunaYuukiTheFlash]

Awesome news 😊