Sony acquires 2.5% of Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco

Sony has officially acquired a 2.5% ownership stake in Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco, with the deal being referred to as a “business alliance.”

The details:

• The two companies announced the deal in a joint statement, stating that it plans to push Bandai Namco forward to “maximize the value” of its IPs. “Through this business alliance and Sony’s investment in Bandai Namco, as two of the leading Japanese entertainment companies, Bandai Namco and Sony will focus on expanding the fan community for IP such as anime and manga around the world and strengthening engagement, particularly in the anime field where rapid market growth is anticipated, while merging their strengths to create new and emotionally moving experiences for fans, and as a result of these efforts, maximize the value of IP,” the statement reads.
• While it is only a small ownership stake, this suggests that Sony is attempting to get closer to the Souls series IPs after becoming the majority owner of Kadokawa Corporation, the parent company of developer FromSoftware, with whom Sony also co-owns. Kadokawa also has one of the industry's largest anime and manga catalogs, providing even more opportunities for the Japanese conglomerate.
• With the Bandai deal, we could see more of the company's characters appear in video game crossovers, as Bandai Namco owns the rights to Pac-Man, Ace Combat, Tekken, Soulcalibur, and other classic franchises.

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