With the recent announcement of the sale of Square Enix, many fans have speculated that Sony may be interested in buying another game developer. Eidos Montreal’s founder recently discussed the events leading up to the sale of the company and hinted that Sony may buy Eidos in the future. Despite not having announced further acquisitions, Sony has been busy and isn’t likely to stop anytime soon.
Sega
In the game console war of the mid-90s, Sega and Sony were at odds over which company would be able to dominate the market. Both companies were able to make good games, but one had an advantage over the other. Sony’s PlayStation line of games was a hit, while Sega’s Saturn flopped. This was largely due to the fact that Sony had a better development team and a better marketing strategy.
After the PlayStation 3 debuted, the rivalry was over and Nintendo was no longer in the lead. Eventually, both companies would get their share of exclusive games, but Sony would emerge as the winner. Nintendo’s legendary games, such as Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and DK 64 helped them keep up. Sony’s success would eventually be fueled by Crash Bandicoot and other hit titles.
Sony was already known as a microelectronics giant, and until the late-’80s, it focused on audio. Its CD-ROM was a huge hit, but its games were packed on plastic cartridges. This had its limitations. Eventually, Sony partnered with Nintendo, and the two companies became the superpowers of gaming.
While Sega had a smaller market share in the early 1990s, PlayStation quickly overtook its success and gained more market share. By the end of the decade, PlayStation accounted for over 60% of the video game market in the U.S. By the time the Dreamcast hit the market, Sony was a clear winner.
Sega also managed to make a name for itself with its portable game system. This machine was much bigger than the GameBoy and was powered by 6 AA batteries. A Sega Saturn commercial aired close to its release, with Sega giving away free copies of their Game Gear to Nintendo Power subscribers.
While the Sega Saturn was superior to the SNES, it was not able to outsell the NES. It sold about 65 million units while the SNES only sold twenty. Most NES consoles were sold in the U.S. and Japan. In many other countries, however, the Sega Saturn was more powerful and more popular. Despite the fact that Sony produced more powerful consoles, the battle was still won by the NES.
Capcom
It has been widely reported that Capcom and Sony are in talks to merge, but the details are still sketchy. The acquisition would bring together two of the world’s most iconic video game companies, with Capcom having a strong connection with Sony. While Capcom is not valued as high as EA, it is a huge game publisher with several well-known IPs.
The companies have not commented on the speculation, but speculation has persisted about the next acquisition. It is thought that the deal might be similar to what Microsoft did recently with Activision Blizzard. Sony has not commented on this speculation. The deal is still unknown, but it is expected to be similar to the $69 billion deal that Microsoft made with Activision Blizzard.
The deal also involves the purchase of Bungie, a AAA multiplayer game studio. The deal will help Sony improve the multiplayer experience and support the PlayStation plus service. It will also allow Sony to invest in top Japanese game developers. If this goes through, it will make sense for the company to purchase both Capcom and Bungie.
Sony and Square Enix also have a close relationship. Both have hundreds of employees, but Square Enix has a more extensive catalogue of IPs. While Capcom’s upcoming game “Forspoken” is tied to the PS5, Square Enix has an extensive back catalogue of games, including Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and Dragon Quest. As a result, the merger could be a major boost for both companies.
While a possible merger between Capcom and Sony is unconfirmed, it is possible that Sony has already been working on an acquisition with FromSoftware. FromSoftware’s shares have risen 38% in the past two months, and its games have gained popularity. Sony is also expected to use FromSoftware’s games exclusively on the PlayStation. However, Sony must be very careful not to overpay for the games despite the obvious benefits.
FromSoftware
Sony has made an investment in FromSoftware, a Japanese video game developer. While the studio has previously relied on publishers in Japan and the U.S., it has also made exclusive releases for Sony’s PlayStation platforms, including Bloodborne and Demon’s Souls. It is likely that Sony wants to leverage FromSoftware’s skills and knowledge to create more exclusive games in the future.
The company has been on a spending spree since acquiring Bungie for $3.6 billion in January and Bluepoint, a maker of critically acclaimed remakes of classic video games. The company also recently invested $1 billion in Epic Games, a company known for creating popular games. These deals are just the latest in Sony’s ongoing quest to make gaming the most popular medium.
While Sony is interested in buying FromSoftware, it is still unclear how close it is to a full purchase. The studio’s recent outperformance has made it an appealing target for new investors. The acquisition signals a closer relationship between Sony and FromSoft, which could lead to future publishing deals and other support. The move may also make remakes of Bloodborne more likely, although this isn’t a guarantee.
The company has made it clear that it will use the proceeds to enhance its game IP capabilities. The deal is expected to close on September 7, 2022. However, due to international remittance procedures, this date could change. In the meantime, the proceeds will go towards expanding its global publishing scope, strengthening game IP capabilities, and planning new games and web content.
As a developer, FromSoftware is no stranger to the acquisition process. Last month, the publisher completed a $3.6 billion deal to acquire Bungie, another video game developer. Sony’s acquisition may be only a start, as the company has already acquired a minority stake in Quantic Dream.
Bungie
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that it has agreed to buy Bungie, the developer of “Halo” and “Destiny.” The studio will remain an independent subsidiary of SIE and will maintain its management team and executive board. The deal will allow Bungie to focus on its long-term development of “Destiny 2” as well as the expansion of the Destiny universe and creation of new intellectual property. The deal will also allow Bungie to continue to self-publish its games and reach its players.
The acquisition is a big deal for PlayStation and the company hopes to redirect Bungie’s efforts into developing PlayStation-exclusive games. This would allow the company to focus on creating new PlayStation-exclusive games without compromising the cross-platform promise. The deal is subject to certain closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Sony and Bungie have a long history of cooperation. The studio has developed exclusive content for PlayStation in its previous Destiny games. However, Bungie and Sony’s studio culture have been criticized in the past for being toxic. With this move, Sony will be able to align the two companies’ vision for the future of video games.
The acquisition of Bungie may also face some regulatory scrutiny. The FTC has taken a more aggressive stance against big tech mergers, and it is unclear whether this one will result in antitrust concerns. The FTC is unlikely to stop the Bungie deal, but the investigation may delay it until early 2023. This could make the $3.6 billion deal take longer to complete.
The delay will not impact development of the next Destiny game. However, the deal could still fall apart if the FTC rules it to be unfair. However, Sony is unlikely to abandon its investment in Bungie if they are not able to make up for the lost profits. This will also help Destiny fans across the board.
Bungie has also announced that it is preparing a new intellectual property, slated to launch sometime in 2021. The new intellectual property will likely be available for PlayStation consoles. It is also likely that the new project will be a live-service game.