Acquiring the parent company of Elden Ring and Dark Souls creator FromSoftware outright might be too expensive for Sony, Japanese analysts say

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Sony is reportedly only interested in Kadokawa's anime and video game divisions

Elden Ring screenshot showing Ranni, a young woman with pale ice-y blue skin and a large brimmed witch-like hat
(Image credit: FromSoftware)

After online rumors swirled around last week, Kadokawa has since confirmed that Sony is in fact interested in acquiring the Japanese media conglomerate known for its anime and manga publishing, as well as its majority 70% share in FromSoftware, the studio behind Elden Ring and Bloodborne. The deal is far from being set in stone, though, as Japanese analysts are now predicting that Sony could pull out of discussions due to Kadokawa's costly price tag.

That's according to Japan's Toyo Keizai - based on translations from Automaton - which reports that Sony might stop short of outright buying Kadokawa. While Sony is reportedly more interested in the company's anime and video game divisions, Kadokawa is said to be shopping its wares altogether, including its non-nerdy business ventures. Kadokawa also publishes adult books, television magazines, and more, for example, and the entire company is estimated to be worth over 640 billion yen, or around $4.2 billion, according to Macquarie Capital Securities Japan.

Some investors reckon the money would be worth it solely to get Dark Souls maestro Hidetaka Miyazaki onboard, but for now, that's all purely speculation as neither company has publicly reached a decision.

In the meantime, see our new games of 2024 and beyond guide. 

Kaan Serin
Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.