Elden Ring was a hit with more than just fans of FromSoftware’s notoriously difficult action-RPGs. Tencent Holdings and Sony announced today that they have acquired 30% of the Souls-series developer’s shares, split in Tencent’s favour. The agreement is expected to net FromSoftware $260 million.
Sony and Tencent are acquiring 14.09% and 16.25% of FromSoft, respectively, according to an announcement made today by FromSoft’s parent company Kadokawa. According to the statement, Kadokawa wants FromSoftware to be able to expand its development efforts; the “enhancement of capabilities for the creation, development, and deployment of [FromSoft] game IP is one of the [Kadokawa] Group’s highest priorities.”
One of the goals is to provide FromSoft with the resources necessary to develop Elden Ring into a franchise that extends beyond video games.
Elden Ring was a long time coming, built on the foundation laid down by FromSoftware’s groundbreaking PS3 game Demon’s Souls in 2009. The Dark Souls trilogy, as well as two other titles of a similar nature (Bloodborne and Sekiro), certainly broadened the audience for these difficult and cryptic action-RPGs. None, however, have achieved critical mass quite like Elden Ring, which outsold household names like Call of Duty and spawned viral streaming sensations and hype that refuses to die.
Tencent, a Shanghai-based conglomerate, has maintained its investment and acquisition spree. It owns 5% of Ubisoft, the publisher of Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, completed an acquisition of League of Legends developer Riot Games, owns 40% of Epic Games, and has stakes in many, many, many other game companies. According to Polygon, it also owns 5% of Activision Blizzard, which will be transferred to Microsoft if that megacorp’s notable bid to acquire the Call of Duty publisher passes regulatory scrutiny.
Sony has also been on a spending spree, though it appears to be more modest in comparison to Tencent. Perhaps most notably, Sony paid $3.6 billion in January for the once-Microsoft-affiliated Bungie. The PlayStation company also made a move to acquire Bluepoint, a studio known for critically acclaimed remakes. Sony also made a billion-dollar investment in Epic Games in April.
Anyway, perhaps FromSoft can use the new funds to add an easy mode, allowing me to finally finish the damn things.
Flaunt Weeekly Flaunt Weeekly More than three years later, Universal Music Group (UMG) and the…
Flaunt Weeekly Around the world, it’s time for year-end school concerts and Haiti is no…
Flaunt Weeekly There was Pasternak. Photo Courtesy of Ada Pasternak.Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ada Pasternak released…
Flaunt Weeekly PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to the father of a member…
Flaunt Weeekly Hozier returned to Saturday Night Live for the NBC program’s final pre-Christmas episode…
Flaunt Weeekly Chappell Roan, Charli xcx and Billie Eilish have all made Billboard’s 10 Greatest…