Sony Has Bought into Bandai Namco!

General news News 07/28/2025

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Sony has acquired not only FromSoftware’s parent company but also the publisher of its games.

Sony announced in a press release that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Japanese entertainment conglomerate Bandai Namco. Sony agreed to purchase 16 million Bandai Namco shares for about 68 billion yen (approx. $465 million), giving it a 2.5% stake in the company.

“The Bandai Namco Group promotes an ‘IP axis strategy’ that aims to maximize IP value by leveraging the appeal and worldview of IP to provide optimal products and services at the right time in optimal regions. We are excited by the potential to create new entertainment by combining the Sony Group’s strengths and technological capabilities with Bandai Namco’s IP axis strategy. Through this collaboration, we aim to connect with IP fans worldwide, co-create the future together, and realize our purpose (‘Fun for All into the Future’) and our mid- to long-term vision (‘Connect with Fans’),” wrote Nobuhiko Momoi, Executive Vice President of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., in the press release.

“With this partnership, we aim to co-create content and experiences that exceed expectations and deliver ‘kando’ (emotion) to even more fans, taking advantage of Bandai Namco Group’s outstanding capability to expand diverse IP in multiple directions and its deep connection with fans both domestically and globally. By merging the entertainment strengths of both companies and unlocking the potential of attractive IP, we will further accelerate our efforts to maximize IP value and realize Sony’s long-term ‘Creative Entertainment Vision’,” added Toshimoto Mitomo, Chief Strategy Officer and Representative Corporate Executive Officer at Sony Group Corporation.

The press release primarily highlights that Sony will produce and distribute anime and other video content based on Bandai Namco’s IP. The collaboration could, however, extend to other areas such as games and music. Still, it remains very unlikely that Bandai Namco games will become exclusive to PlayStation consoles, especially given their modest market share.

Sony ended 2024 as the largest shareholder in Kadokawa Corporation with a 10% stake. Kadokawa is the parent company of FromSoftware, and a few months earlier, Tencent had also increased its stake to nearly 8%…

Source: WCCFTech, Sony

Angyal Anikó

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