The Fromsoft Leaks Are Confirmed.

00:00 A Dark Future
00:52 Reuter’s Report
02:20 Sony’s Motivations
05:54 Sony's Deep Plan
08:58 Sony’s Media Empire

Sources:

[isocryd]

Can't wait for From titles to not be available in 170+ countries...

[YawaruSan]

Consolidation is the death of creativity.

[NevermoreNeverAgain]

The last thing, as a fan of Japanese pop culture, the absolute last thing I want is for Sony to buy Kadokawa. Sony ruined so much, not just games, but the whole western Anime distribution... With Kadokawa, we would lose BookWalker, and so go your Light Novel translations. Damn it...

[diamonddino]

the fact that they, sony, have let demon souls and bloodborne sit and rot is all the proof I need to see how bad this would be

[RolyPolyGames]

Sony buying them would be terrible for Japanese Animation and the Game Industry. Let us hope it doesn't go through.

[BerserkerOfMH]

What worries me most is the fact that Sony is all too willing to embrace different levels of censorship to make their properties "more palletable to a wider audience." They already have a virtual monopoly on anime in the west, through Aniplex, Crunchyroll, and Funimation among others. Owning Kadokawa would allow them to directly influence the creation of Japanese media from the source. That plus potential (or likely) censorship is not something to be excited about.

[ScytheNoire]

The big publishers don't have a good record when it comes to studios they've acquired. Its more often destroying competition than helping make more great content.

[Vanguard]

This is the same company that thought Concord was going to be a major hit.

[nerdletter]

I'm really glad that you touched on just how much Kadokawa owns. Gamers shouldn't be the only ones scared of this deal, anime fans should be scared as well.

[robsolf]

This WILL ruin Fromsoft. These huge companies won't let them do what they do, and the top talent will walk. Whoever is left should put out a resume and get into a good studio, ASAP. Fromsoft makes brilliant niche games but corporate will constantly interfere to make their stuff "accessible". Bank on it.

[unscbug-]

Hopefully this deal doesn't go through.... we dont need Sony ruining more games and gatekeeping PC gamers even further.

[eternalinsignia]

Kadokawa is freaking huge. In fact, From Software can be basically just a bonus for Kadokawa acquisition.

For your information Kadokawa apart their from software division, they have anime, music, light novel, streaming platform (niconico (dwango)), live action, multiple IP, etc. In addition, they also sell their product with its own translation while keeping spicyness to outside Japan. This acquisition means, yes, Sony will grow in power in entertainment especially Japanes live action and anime as a whole. With how Sony is doing now, eventually what you like will be subpar.

[MrBluman]

Could governments please stop just letting these companies buy everything in sight?

[mrcaos]

Kadokawa is one of the bigest anime player too, they do almoust 50% of anime production in Japan. So the actually worse part of this is that Sony would get a monopol on anime production considering they already are a big player themselve!

[Tintin_Quarentino]

tldr. Sony buying Kadokawa (FromSoft, father company) would be the Japanese equivalent to Microsoft buying Disney if they tried.

[Willias]

"We want Bloodborne remastered!" *finger on the monkey paw curls*

But no, seriously. This is bigger than From Software. Kadokawa is a big company. Sony would damn near own Japanese Youtube after this.

[lharsay]

For many years I was sure that Fromsoftware's relative independence was safe due to Kadokawa being too big to be bought out. I was wrong.

[ogun]

Hell with Fromsoft, as others have pointed out, the damage Sony would do to anime, manga and light novels is devastating!

[digizilla]

This really needs to stop. Sony and microsft cannot keep buying all these companies up.

[caret_shell]

But everyone knows now... there are no fig leaves left. Big studios buy smaller successful creative groups and ruin them with greed and incompetence. There's no mystery anymore. Any supposed upside is a lie. Incompetent executives at Sony are pushing this so they can extract value and then leave before stuff hits the fan, the soul of another art house dies and the wheels of the grist mill turn on. Start looking for the next Fromsoft, and enjoy your classic Souls games. Rue the day that the things you love become super popular.