One of the major headlines this week is Sony's intent to acquire the massive media conglomerate Kadokawa. For those not closely following the Japanese entertainment market (we don’t blame you), Kadokawa owns a significant stake in FromSoftware and Spike Chunsoft. The former needs no introduction, while the latter is known for producing numerous games based on Japanese franchises, including making many visual novels legally accessible worldwide.

Kadokawa’s core business revolves around publishing, with most light novels from Japan passing through its hands. The company also holds a significant share of the manga market and has stakes in several anime production studios. However, this potential acquisition by Sony poses several challenges for Western consumers.

If the deal goes through, Sony would effectively gain near-total control not just over the distribution of Japanese content to the West, but also its production. This would position Sony as a Japanese equivalent of Disney, bringing with it many of the same issues we’ve observed with the Mickey Mouse empire.

Even if you’re not particularly interested in anime or manga, the implications for gaming are also significant. For instance, Sony could sharply reduce FromSoftware’s creative independence. Considering Sony’s recent managerial missteps (hi, Concord), this is a valid concern. Competition drives progress, and Sony's near-monopoly in this space is unlikely to improve the situation.

Main image: steampowered.com

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