Sony Becomes Kadokawa’s Largest Shareholder As Companies Form Strategic Capital & Business Alliance

2 days ago 45

Sony Group Corporation and Kadokawa Corporation have announced the formation of a strategic capital and business alliance, which will see the PlayStation manufacturer become Kadokawa’s biggest shareholder with approximately 10% of its shares.

While both companies have collaborated on multiple projects in the past, this alliance will further strengthen IPs owned by Sony and Kadokawa on global basis and facilitate deeper collaborative efforts, including possible joint investments.

Sony Group Corporation President, COO and CFO, Hiroki Totoki ,commented:

Through this capital and business alliance, we will become the largest shareholder of KADOKAWA, which consistently creates a wide variety of IP, including publications and books, such as light novels and comics, as well as games and anime. By combining KADOKAWA’s extensive IP and IP creation ecosystem with the strengths of Sony, which has promoted the global expansion of a wide range of entertainment, including anime and games, we plan to work closely together to realize KADOKAWA’s ‘Global Media Mix’ strategy, aimed at maximizing the value of its IP, and Sony’s long-term vision, ‘Creative Entertainment Vision.’

Sony was reportedly in talks with Kadokawa with the aim of fully acquiring the company, and Kadokawa later confirmed that the PlayStation maker was indeed interested in snapping it up but no decision was made.

[Source – Sony]