In recent years, the gaming industry has experienced a surge in mergers and acquisitions. While Microsoft's $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard grabbed the headlines, Sony PlayStation has been strategically positioning itself behind the scenes.
According to Eric McCain's LinkedIn profile, the Director of Strategy and Portfolio at PlayStation Studios, the company has spent $4 billion over the last four years to strategically acquire nine studios.
Sony's most notable acquisition in recent years has undoubtedly been Bungie studio (acquired in 2022), for which Sony spent $3.6 billion, making it the largest investment in Sony's gaming history. Other significant acquisitions include Housemarque, known for developing "Returnal," Bluepoint Games, recognized for their work on the "Demon's Souls: Remake," and Nixxes Software, which supports the "Horizon" series.
Some acquisitions are structured in unique ways. For instance, Fabrik Games was acquired indirectly through its subsidiary, Firesprite Studio, and has since been integrated into the studio.
The 9 studios are as follows:
·Housemarque
·Bluepoint Games
·Nixxes Software
·Firesprite
·Firewalk Studios
·Fabrik Games
·Valkyrie Entertainment
·Haven Studios
·Neon Koi (Original name Savage Game Studios)
·Bungie
It is noteworthy that in its May 2024 financial report, Sony Group disclosed that it has set aside up to $11.5 billion for future acquisitions. This fund might be allocated towards strengthening their VR/AR initiatives, expanding their presence in the mobile gaming market, and addressing the competitive dynamics after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.