Sony's Bid to Acquire Kadokawa Excites Employees

Sony has officially announced its intention to acquire the Japanese publishing giant Kadokawa, and despite the potential loss of independence, Kadokawa's employees are expressing excitement about the prospect of joining forces with the tech giant. Read on to discover the reasons behind their enthusiasm for the acquisition!

Sony And Kadokawa Still In Talks

Sony has publicly confirmed its plans to purchase Kadokawa, a leading Japanese conglomerate known for its publishing prowess. Kadokawa has acknowledged Sony's interest, and while negotiations continue, no final decision has been reached yet. The proposed acquisition has sparked a variety of reactions across the industry.

Economic analyst Takahiro Suzuki, speaking to Weekly Bunshun, opined that the acquisition would be more advantageous for Sony than for Kadokawa. As Sony shifts its focus from electronics to entertainment, it aims to bolster its content creation capabilities. Acquiring Kadokawa would allow Sony to "incorporate Kadokawa’s content and strengthen it," given Kadokawa's rich portfolio of IPs, including notable titles such as the anime "Oshi no Ko," "Dungeon Meshi" (Delicious in Dungeon), and the critically acclaimed game "Elden Ring" by FromSoftware.

However, this move could compromise Kadokawa's autonomy, with Automaton West translating concerns that "Kadokawa will lose its independence, and management will become stricter." If Kadokawa aims to maintain its current level of creative freedom, the acquisition might not be the best path forward, as it could lead to increased scrutiny on projects that do not contribute directly to IP development.

Kadokawa Employees Reportedly Optimistic On Acquisition

Surprisingly, despite potential drawbacks, Kadokawa employees are reportedly optimistic about the acquisition. Interviews conducted by Weekly Bunshun revealed a generally positive sentiment among staff, with many expressing no objections to the idea of being acquired by Sony, stating, "Why not Sony?"

This optimism is partly fueled by dissatisfaction with the current administration led by Takeshi Natsuno. A veteran Kadokawa employee shared with Weekly Bunshun, "The people around me are thrilled at the prospect of an acquisition by Sony. That’s because there’s a certain number of employees who are dissatisfied with the Natsuno administration, which didn’t even bother to hold a press conference after peoples’ personal information was leaked in the cyberattack. They expect that if Sony were to acquire the company, they would get rid of the president first."

The dissatisfaction stems from a ransomware cyberattack earlier this year by the hacker group BlackSuit, which stole over 1.5 terabytes of data, including internal legal documents, user-related information, and employees' personal details. The current President and CEO, Takeshi Natsuno, was criticized for his handling of the crisis, further fueling the desire for a change in leadership.

In conclusion, while the acquisition of Kadokawa by Sony may pose challenges to the company's independence, the potential for improved management and a fresh start under Sony's wing has left many Kadokawa employees hopeful and enthusiastic about the future.