This year has brought no shortage of amazing new video games, especially from indie studios. We finally got to play Silksong, and Supermassive Games granted us access to Hades 2‘s full release. With so many great games coming out, it can be tough for newcomers to stand out. And yet, many PS5 gamers were impressed with a recent PlayStation exclusive indie release, Sword of the Sea. And now, some fans are speculating that PlayStation might have formalized its partnership with the studio behind this popular new release.
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Sword of the Sea released for PS5 and Steam on August 19th. It has received praise from both critics and gamers, with an 88 Metascore and an 8.6 User Score on Metacritic. The game is relatively short, but captivated gamers with its atmospheric visuals and smooth surfing gameplay. There’s no combat, despite the titular sword. Instead, you glide through the world on said sword, revitalizing the desert by bringing water to the arid land. Developer Giant Squid already had a partnership with PlayStation, bringing the game to the PS Plus Extra catalog. And now, gamers suspect that Sony may have outright acquired the indie studio. Here’s what we know.
New Sony & Giant Squid Joint Trademark Spawns Acquisition Speculation
Recently, Gematsu reported that Sony Interactive Entertainment and Giant Squid have jointly filed a trademark for Sword of the Sea in Europe. The trademark lists both Sony and Giant Squid as co-owners of the title. Given that Giant Squid has previously operated as an indie studio, this is raising some speculation from fans. Although Sword of the Sea is a PS5 console exclusive, it was not published by Sony. So, why is the company suddenly listed as an owner in this new trademark?
Some gamers think it could mean that Sony has acquired Giant Squid. Big gaming publishers buying successful indie studios is nothing new, but as Microsoft has shown in recent years, it can be a risky venture. Simply filing a trademark alongside Giant Squid doesn’t necessarily mean that Sony has fully bought out the studio. But it doesn’t rule out the possibility, either. Given that Sword of the Sea has become a gem of the PS Plus Extra catalog, it’s possible that Sony could want to invest in ensuring that future Giant Squid titles are available for a similar setup.
That said, it’s also possible that Sony has simply bought the Sword of the Sea IP, not the entire studio. Sony does have a history of prioritizing IP ownership, so it could be that the brand wants to put its name on one of its most popular PS Plus catalog titles. Perhaps the studio has already been in talks with Sony about a sequel to the popular, but very short, game. If Sony wants to be the publisher this next time around, it might make sense to join up on the copyright for the IP.
As of now, Sony and Giant Squid have not publicly addressed rumors of an acquisition. Giant Squid’s social media accounts are still focused on celebrating the acclaim and awards nominations rolling in for Sword of the Sea. And on Steam, Giant Squid is still listed as the publisher and developer of its latest hit. Until either company addresses the rumors, it’s unclear what the joint trademark for Sword of the Sea could mean for the future of the game and studio as a whole.
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[H/T: PlayStation Lifestyle]
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