Sony's future and possible studio/publisher acquisitions

[Dabaus]

It’s not that Sony couldn’t buy square, they obviously can. It’s that their leadership, mainly upper management, are completely clueless. They’ve ceded Japan and lost exclusivity with partners and entire genres (hello soulsborne) that were created on their watch to chase trends culminating in the disaster in waiting DEI, Blackrock approved Concord. Bungie has been a money sink, their most prestigious single player company wasted 5 years making a multiplayer game only to cancel it, and the one studio (insomniac) that actually produces had layoffs.

Now they want to spend all the money PlayStation made for them on a failing,
Over priced movie company that Is doing everything it can NOT to sell to them. Meanwhile there were rumors from the people who worked at eidos that square sold them so Sony could buy them and they haven’t done it.

Bring back kaz hirai or someone who cares about gaming back.

 

[TigerFang]

Sony needs more Single Player studios.

they have currently about 8~ studios working on Single Player games (not counting support studios)

- Naughty Dog
- Sony Santamonica
- Insomniac
- Guerilla (Also working on Multiplayer)
- Sucker Punch
- Housemarque
- Firesprite (might also be working on VR)
- Team Asobi

Now this is an incredible studios lineup, & I have to give Sony credit for acquiring studios like Sucker Punch & Naughty dog at the perfect time.

But that being said, either some of these studios need heavy expansion which can be very difficult due to extreme development times / lack of developers / may result in layoffs or they need to acquire a few more studios with focus on Single Player stuff.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Sony needs more Single Player studios.

they have currently about 8~ studios working on Single Player games (not counting support studios)

- Naughty Dog
- Sony Santamonica
- Insomniac
- Guerilla (Also working on Multiplayer)
- Sucker Punch
- Housemarque
- Firesprite (might also be working on VR)
- Team Asobi

Now this is an incredible studios lineup, & I have to give Sony credit for acquiring studios like Sucker Punch & Naughty dog at the perfect time.

But that being said, either some of these studios need heavy expansion which can be very difficult due to extreme development times / lack of developers / may result in layoffs or they need to acquire a few more studios with focus on Single Player stuff.

Agree that's why should hsve a look in Japan & Asia overall.

FurRyu for Japanese RPGs woth potential.
JP GAMES (Hajime Tabata) for FF like Premium Japanese RPGs
Team Ninja. This might be am expensive one, but it would be worth it in the long term.
NeoWiz the developer of Lies of P. Talented studio.

 

[TigerFang]

In DrakeStars 2024 Gaming Outlook

They say:

Top buyers will likely be Tencent, Sony, Scopely / Savvy Games, Keywords and Take-Two, while ByteDance is about to sell its gaming business and Embracer will likely divest some of its studios. We expect Savvy Games to continue deploying more out of the $38B ear-marked for gaming M&A and financings this year.

this was said in their 2023 Q4 report back in January.

The report has been spot-on about Embracer divesting studios & Take Two purchasing a studio (GearBox).

Makes me hope that Sony might have a change to pick up a Single Player game studio here & there. Though as they have said, they'll be "Selective" and making purchases that guarantee return.

 

[Nhomnhom]

As much as I hate Epic now it's obvious that Sony should establish a joint venture with them for Epic Store to become Sony's storefront on PC. Same for Unreal so that they can help it become less shit.

They were open to do it for EVs with Honda so they might as well do it for more important and pressing things.

 

[Yurinka]

Sony announced a new acquisition:

Spoiler

Queen Catalog to Be Acquired by Sony Music for £1 Billion

The Queen music catalog, along with a number of other rights, is in the process of being acquired by Sony Music for £1 billion, two sources confirm.

variety.com

 

[Evil Aloy]

I see the mothership is spending money on everything except Playstation.

 

[Nhomnhom]

Sony needs more Single Player studios.

they have currently about 8~ studios working on Single Player games (not counting support studios)

- Naughty Dog
- Sony Santamonica
- Insomniac
- Guerilla (Also working on Multiplayer)
- Sucker Punch
- Housemarque
- Firesprite (might also be working on VR)
- Team Asobi

Now this is an incredible studios lineup, & I have to give Sony credit for acquiring studios like Sucker Punch & Naughty dog at the perfect time.

But that being said, either some of these studios need heavy expansion which can be very difficult due to extreme development times / lack of developers / may result in layoffs or they need to acquire a few more studios with focus on Single Player stuff.

I wouldn't even count Firesprite before they show a lot more, I would add Bluepoint instead of them.

With how long games are taking to be made and some of these studios also dedicating resources to multiplayer game I think Sony is far from having enough studios to differentiate their platform. They are being very reckless and passive with their investments. If they are not going to increase the amount of AAA studios they have they should at least try to make up for it with many more AA studios.

Sony has too many viable IPs not being fully utilized that could be leveraged by new studios. I always go back to RaD and their great work on PSP handling IPs from ND and SSM. Sony should have a plan for IPs like Uncharted and God of War to be handled by other studios to free up those already established studios to work on new stuff.

 

[Vergil]

The only way for Sony to compete with Microsoft in terms of acquisition is for Apple to buy Sony

 

[YeezyDude]

Agree that's why should hsve a look in Japan & Asia overall.

FurRyu for Japanese RPGs woth potential.
JP GAMES (Hajime Tabata) for FF like Premium Japanese RPGs
Team Ninja. This might be am expensive one, but it would be worth it in the long term.
NeoWiz the developer of Lies of P. Talented studio.

Add Shift Up to that list as well as Game Science!

 

[Jim Ryan]

 

[Jim Ryan]

The only way for Sony to compete with Microsoft in terms of acquisition is for Apple to buy Sony

A change of management would be enough. They actually have a good amount of cash etc...they just want to buy things like Paramount, that they feel are "serious" or prestige acquisitions.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

It's exactly as I said a year ago.

Square Enix intended to move their HQ originally to Shibuya.


But now where (seemingly Sony halted talks?) Square Enix can't afford the whole building or even buy it to begin with. They will instead rent some areas within the building and stay in their old HQ in cheap Shinjuku. Well, that's what you get for backstabbing, Sony. Thank you, Kiryu, for your stupidity.
Square Enix is cooked without Sony, and Kiryu will regret that very soon.

You probably have witnessed the reports about Sega suffering massive losses due to engaging with Microsoft and GP.

Sega sees net loss of 6.6 billion yen due to business restructuring in Europe and cancelled games - AUTOMATON WEST

While Sega's games performed well in fiscal year 2023, the company saw a sharp decline in operating income due to cancelled titles and business restructuring.

automaton-media.com

The same fate will happen to Square.

I think Square Enix will f*ck up badly and even get in a worse situation than currently. That's when Sony will get the opportunity to buy Square Enix for a chump change.

 

[Dabaus]

It's exactly as I said a year ago.

Square Enix intended to move their HQ originally to Shibuya.


But now where (seemingly Sony halted talks?) Square Enix can't afford the whole building or even buy it to begin with. They will instead rent some areas within the building and stay in their old HQ in cheap Shinjuku. Well, that's what you get for backstabbing, Sony. Thank you, Kiryu, for your stupidity.
Square Enix is cooked without Sony, and Kiryu will regret that very soon.

You probably have witnessed the reports about Sega suffering massive losses due to engaging with Microsoft and GP.

Sega sees net loss of 6.6 billion yen due to business restructuring in Europe and cancelled games - AUTOMATON WEST

While Sega's games performed well in fiscal year 2023, the company saw a sharp decline in operating income due to cancelled titles and business restructuring.

automaton-media.com

The same fate will happen to Square.

I think Square Enix will f*ck up badly and even get in a worse situation than currently. That's when Sony will get the opportunity to buy Square Enix for a chump change.

My concern is these companies bottoming out and then foreign companies coming in and buying the like what just happened with Infocom and Blackstone.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

My concern is these companies bottoming out and then foreign companies coming in and buying the like what just happened with Infocom and Blackstone.

Well the advantage is here that Sony and well Square have the exactly same majority of shareholders. Plus both are Japanese. Therefore I think if the situation gets dire and both companies are forced to sell, they would definitely inform Sony first. Probably the first what shareholders would push for.

 

[Dabaus]

Well the advantage is here that Sony and well Square have the exactly same majority of shareholders. Plus both are Japanese. Therefore I think if the situation gets dire and both companies are forced to sell, they would definitely inform Sony first. Probably the first what shareholders would push for.

Sony was one of the companies trying to buy infocom so as far as that goes, them being Japanese didnt matter.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Sony was one of the companies trying to buy infocom so as far as that goes, them being Japanese didnt matter.

It's not a full acquisition, they only will buy the stake of Teijin. 55% stake to be concrete.

Blackstone to acquire Japan e-comics provider Infocom for $1.7bn

Materials maker Teijin to sell 55% stake in operator of Mecha Comic platform

asia.nikkei.com

Also important difference: Sony and Infocom don't share the same shareholders. This is Important context. So yes if there is an acquisition on the table, the shareholders would pressure Square Enix to sell to a partner they can trust in. After all the shareholders know Sony very well. That's enough reason to sell preferably to Sony.
And last Square Enix is a gaming publisher, Infocom is not. Infocom distributes online comics, another big difference.

 

[TrishaCat]

Agree that's why should hsve a look in Japan & Asia overall.

FurRyu for Japanese RPGs woth potential.
JP GAMES (Hajime Tabata) for FF like Premium Japanese RPGs
Team Ninja. This might be am expensive one, but it would be worth it in the long term.
NeoWiz the developer of Lies of P. Talented studio.

Don't you dare suggest furyu be bought out by anyone
They are a rare breed of overambitious AA JRPG studio that consistently puts out solid titles
They are where they need to be as is; no one should own them or have power or control over them.

 

[TrishaCat]

It's exactly as I said a year ago.

Square Enix intended to move their HQ originally to Shibuya.


But now where (seemingly Sony halted talks?) Square Enix can't afford the whole building or even buy it to begin with. They will instead rent some areas within the building and stay in their old HQ in cheap Shinjuku. Well, that's what you get for backstabbing, Sony. Thank you, Kiryu, for your stupidity.
Square Enix is cooked without Sony, and Kiryu will regret that very soon.

You probably have witnessed the reports about Sega suffering massive losses due to engaging with Microsoft and GP.

Sega sees net loss of 6.6 billion yen due to business restructuring in Europe and cancelled games - AUTOMATON WEST

While Sega's games performed well in fiscal year 2023, the company saw a sharp decline in operating income due to cancelled titles and business restructuring.

automaton-media.com

The same fate will happen to Square.

I think Square Enix will f*ck up badly and even get in a worse situation than currently. That's when Sony will get the opportunity to buy Square Enix for a chump change.

this is even worse what the fuck is wrong with you people
Square Enix is the best game developer out there; no one should own them. For them to be owned by someone else is to give someone else power over them, and that can affect what they make and put out. Square consistently puts out amazing games. Someone meddling in their affairs would potentially ruin that.

Forgive my language but I find this culture of wanting big companies to buy out each other to be incredibly baffling and antithetical to the art and potentially inhibiting to creatives.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Don't you dare suggest furyu be bought out by anyone
They are a rare breed of overambitious AA JRPG studio that consistently puts out solid titles
They are where they need to be as is; no one should own them or have power or control over them.

I don't see an issue with that. FurRyu makes solid games but they could create magic with more budget and better equipment. Plus hire more employees. They also would fit in Sony's usual targets for internal PS Studios M+As.

this is even worse what the fuck is wrong with you people
Square Enix is the best game developer out there; no one should own them. For them to be owned by someone else is to give someone else power over them, and that can affect what they make and put out. Square consistently puts out amazing games. Someone meddling in their affairs would potentially ruin that.

Forgive my language but I find this culture of wanting big companies to buy out each other to be incredibly baffling and antithetical to the art and potentially inhibiting to creatives.

Square Enix has been hurting a lot and not since yesterday. It's been a decade long. They also seem not to know which path to pursue. They are still looking to find their own identity. Also FF7 Remake SaGa and FF16 was only possible to the immense support by Sony: Funding, marketing + development power through XDEV (hence the mention in the credits). Anyway Sony owning Square Enix would have a lot of advantages for them. They could acccess the corporate wide resources, knowledge and technologies. Also both share a high synergy in multiple areas such as anime and music. There were talks & negotiations for sure, but if they continue them in the future idk that. Sony would also not make Square Enix IPs fully exclusive, probably only selected franchises as for example FF, Nier. Square Enix would be optimized and result in more efficient development cycles. If it does happen or not, doesn't lie in our hands. Nobody knows what happens behind closed doors.