Sony has entered into a strategic business alliance agreement with Bandai Namco by acquiring a 2.5% stake in the latter, thereby reinforcing its connection with popular titles like Elden Ring and FromSoftware. This partnership, announced on July 24, aims primarily at enhancing their offerings in anime and manga sectors.

In a joint statement, both companies said that this alliance will allow them to expand the fan community for their intellectual properties globally, especially in the anime realm, which is witnessing rapid growth. They plan to leverage their strengths for creating new, engaging experiences for fans and maximizing the value of these IPs.

While this deal suggests that Sony may be involved in producing content related to Bandai Namco’s franchises, it remains to be seen how these ambitions will materialize, specifically in regards to creating relevant anime and manga adaptations.

This is also not the first venture for Sony in the anime space; previously, they became the main stakeholder in Kadokawa, the parent company of FromSoftware and are actively pursuing projects that adapt intellectual properties into live-action films, anime, and more.

Overall, Sony’s ongoing investments in animation and manga could lead to exciting ventures for major franchises like Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and Tekken.