Former Blizzard boss says "the only thing bigger" than Sony buying FromSoftware would be if it bought Valve or Nintendo
Nov. 20, 2024It would be a “top two acquisition in video gaming”
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Asa new reportthatSonymay buyFromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa Corporation, circulates, formerBlizzardboss Mike Ybarra says “it’s probably a top 2 acquisition in video gaming in the last 15+ years if not ever”. The only other deal as good he can think of isMicrosoftbuyingMinecraftfor “only” $2.5 billion.
Sony has sent a letter of intentto Kadokawa Corporation, which ownsDark SoulsandElden RingdeveloperFromSoftwareas well as other entertainment properties such as the Delicious in Dungeon anime. The move would certainly make sense forSony, which is already in the broader entertainment market, not just video games specifically.
Ybarra speaks highly of FromSoftware: “FromSoftware is incredible - releasing games on an accelerated pace that are AAA and epic. The track record is fantastic.” FromSoftware has become my favorite developer in recent years for this exact reason. There’s no studio that consistently puts out artistic, game-of-the-year-worthy hits.
Ybarra continues, “The only thing bigger would be [Sony] buyingValveor Nintendo. And I don’t see either of those happening in any scenario.” That seems a touch hyperbolic, as there are many juggernauts at the moment that would likely rival FromSoftware in terms of sheer output, such as EA orUbisoft.
Ybarra says these are “Exciting times”, but I’m not a fan of mergers and acquisitions myself, as they seem to always lead to layoffs. FollowingMicrosoft’s buyout ofActivision Blizzard,2,500 people were let gofrom Microsoft Gaming this year alone.
If you want to take a look at why Sony buying this company would be a big deal, check out our list of thebest FromSoftware games.
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I’m Issy, a freelancer who you’ll now occasionally see over here covering news on GamesRadar. I’ve always had a passion for playing games, but I learned how to write about them while doing my Film and TV degrees at the University of Warwick and contributing to the student paper, The Boar. After university I worked at TheGamer before heading up the news section at Dot Esports. Now you’ll find me freelancing for Rolling Stone, NME, Inverse, and many more places. I love all things horror, narrative-driven, and indie, and I mainly play on my PS5. I’m currently clearing my backlog and loving Dishonored 2.
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