According to new reports, it appears that Sony is planning to make more investments, and read acquisitions, between 2023 and 2024. This is definitely a bombshell in the hearts of many video game fans who are waiting for the PlayStation division to respond properly to Microsoft. As a reminder, in the past few years, Microsoft has made huge acquisitions like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. While the latter has yet to be approved, Bethesda already belongs to Xbox. Thanks to that we can find most of the studios’ wallets inside Gamepass. In addition, highly anticipated titles such as Starfield will be exclusive to the Xbox platform.
Sony plans to make more acquisitions
Sony Playstation He also made some major acquisitions, but it cannot be compared to what Microsoft has done. The Japanese company’s most recent acquisitions were Bungie and Housemarque. Bungie was an exciting purchase. It might not be the best choice for longtime PS fans, but it gave Sony ownership of the Destiny series. While the company excels at its single-player experience, it has never had more addictive multiplayer titles. Now she has the studio behind Destiny under her control. Housemarque is a longtime partner of the PS maker. Recently, the studio brought “Returnal” a PS5 exclusive. Looks like the game was a test. After all, Sony acquired the studio shortly after the game’s release.
These were related acquisitions, but not on the same scale as those made by MS. Once the deal gets the green light, MS will own the COD Series. This is something Sony is trying to crack, fearing a future exclusivity of COD on Xbox consoles. The Xbox giant denies that it will make a COD exclusive. Call of Duty is currently the best-selling PlayStation game. For this reason, Sony has good reason to fear losing this privilege.
With all the moves MS is making, it’s only natural for PlayStation fans to expect Sony to acquire a major studio. For this reason, Square-Enix has been on the radar of PS fans. At the moment, there is no hint of a deal between the two parties, but rumors continue to circulate.
Back in 2021, Sony revealed that it has set aside about $18.4 billion to invest in the entertainment industry. Recently, the company’s SFO Hiroki Totoki provided some details during a Q&A session with Morgan Stanley. According to him, after years of this program, Sony has spent about 1.3 trillion yen. Now, she has about $5 billion for the future. These moves will continue through 2024. It should be noted that Sony can allocate more money if necessary. But there is a catch! Sony is more than just a PS division.
Square-Enix could be one of the targets for PlayStation.
Right now, there’s no way to know if Sony’s money will go to the PlayStation division. However, if we look at the past, and the importance of this division, the possibilities are great. Since last year, game insiders have been speculating on a Square-Enix purchase.
The studio has an on-again, off-again history of partnerships with PlayStation. Since PS1, Square-Enix and PlayStation have built a strong partnership with the Final Fantasy series. Most recently, this partnership has been further enhanced by Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XVI exclusives. In fact, some rumors suggest that Sony helped Square improve and optimize Final Fantasy XVI for the PS5.
Last year, Square-Enix sold some of its IPs like Tomb Raider, Legacy of Kain, and Hitman to Embracer Group. Right now, Square-Enix’s market capitalization is around $5 billion. A good history between the companies could make this acquisition totally logical. Of course, it will be a hit for all fans of the Final Fantasy series and other RPG franchises. However, we need to treat this as a rumor.
For now, it’s best to wait and see what Sony has in store.
