Square Enix Report Says the Company Could be Preparing for Acquisition by PlayStation
Earlier today, Square Enix sold Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal to Embracer Group for $300 million. The acquisition has caused a lot of buzz throughout the video game industry, and many pundits have expressed surprise that Square Enix was willing to part with the studios for a relatively small figure. Well, if rumors are to be believed, there could be a reason behind the sale: Square Enix could be streamlining the company ahead of a sale. Venture Beat's Jeff Grubb has weighed-in the possibility, stating tonight that he has heard rumors that PlayStation could be looking to acquire Square Enix.
Grubb has said he cannot confirm anything he has heard about a potential sale, merely that he has heard rumors, and he does believe Square Enix might be gearing up for an acquisition. Acquisitions tend to be very secretive, as there are considerable legal implications; there's a reason that announcements like Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard have come as such a big surprise. The initial Tweets from Grubb can be found embedded below.
OK. I've said this a thousand times, but there's always someone who is hearing it for the first time: We never really hear enough to report on acquisitions with any certainty. Sony acquiring Square was the big rumor. But I CANNOT confirm that. And I continue to not know. pic.twitter.com/5ZKJruszCE
— Jeff Grubb (@JeffGrubb) May 3, 2022
Unfortunately, there's simply no way of knowing how much truth there is to these rumors. While Sony and Square Enix have a history going back to the days of the original PlayStation, the latter company continues to put out a large number of games for Nintendo Switch and Xbox. PlayStation has paid for timed exclusivity on games like Final Fantasy VII Remake, so it's not hard to imagine franchises like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts becoming full PlayStation exclusives, if these rumors are correct. PlayStation has also indicated that it plans to spend more money on acquisitions this year, following its purchase of Bungie.
For now, readers should take this all with a grain of salt. It's possible Square Enix could be looking at other potential buyers, and it's also possible that the publisher was simply looking to streamline its operations. Square Enix had previously indicated that it was unhappy with sales of games like Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and it's possible the company wants to move in a different direction. For now, fans of the publisher will just have to see what the future holds.
How would you feel if Sony purchased Square Enix? Do you think the company is preparing for an acquisition? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!