Sony and Bandai Namco have entered into a strategic business partnership: what are the Japanese giants planning?

Sony is expanding its collaborations with other major gaming companies and today the Japanese giant announced a strategic partnership with one of the country's biggest game publishers, Bandai Namco.

Here's What We Know

Sony Group Corporation has signed a strategic business partnership agreement with Bandai Namco Holdings.

Sony will acquire 16 million Bandai Namco shares for 68 billion yen (approximately $465 million), representing 2.5 per cent of Bandai Namco's total securities.

Bandai Namco and Sony have long co-operated on various projects in areas such as games, anime and music. We now want to expand this co-operation to a wider range. The two companies intend to implement initiatives that include expanding the range of products and services based on Bandai Namco's intellectual property, utilising Sony's strengths in areas such as the production and distribution of anime and other video content, as well as related merchandise.

We also plan to hold detailed discussions on the joint development and promotion of intellectual property such as anime and manga, as well as entertainment planning and technical co-operation. In addition, the two companies intend to explore opportunities to support creators through the joint development and use of technology and entertainment-related services, and to engage in joint investments and business alliances in fan interaction.

The companies have not yet revealed their plans, but Bandai Namco has published a number of successful games in recent years, most notably FromSoftware's Elden Ring, which Sony has long had its eye on and is rumoured to be in talks to buy its parent company Kadokawa Corporation. Perhaps a deal with Bandai Namco would be part of a multi-pronged move to buy FromSoftware.

Source: Sony