Sonyhas announced a major investment in Bandai Namco Holdings, framing it as a “strategic partnership.” Valued at over $460 million, the move will seeSonyacquire a minority stake in theElden Ringpublisher.
Known as Namco Bandai until 2015, Bandai Namco is one of the major entities in theJapanese video game industry, with a market capitalization of over $21 billion as of late July 2025. Before Bandai and Namco merged in 2005, Namco had already established itself as a key Sony partner, having developed numerous titles for the first two PlayStation consoles.
This longstanding relationship is now evolving through a new partnership that Sonyannouncedon July 24. Framed as a “strategic business alliance,” the move will see the PlayStation maker acquire 16 million shares of Bandai Namco. The deal is valued at ¥68 billion, or $463.42 million, going by today’s exchange rates. Sony will thus become a minority shareholder of Bandai Namco, with a 2.5% stake.
Why Is Sony Buying a Stake in Bandai Namco?
The two companies plan to combine their strengths to co-create content, specifically leveragingBandai Namco’s anime and manga expertise, while also pursuing other synergies. Additional motivations include expanding fan engagement, investing in shared entertainment technologies, and growing IP-based products and services. The partnership will leverage Sony’s global distribution and production infrastructure alongside Bandai Namco’s capabilities in IP development. Both companies hope the collaboration will accelerate growth in areas with high international demand, such as anime.
Sony Got a Significant Discount on Its Bandai Namco Stake
As of July 24, approximately 654 millionBandai Namco sharesare in circulation. With the stock trading above ¥4,800 per share, the company’s market capitalization stands at roughly ¥3.05 trillion, or $21.4 billion. Sony’s acquisition of a 2.5% stake for $463 million thus implies a 12% discount relative to current market prices—a significant margin at this scale.
The Bandai Namco investment was announced only eight months afterSony formalized a similar “business alliance” with FromSoftware parent company Kadokawa Corporation. Once this 2025 deal, for which no official timeline has yet been provided, is completed, the Japanese entertainment giant will own minority stakes in both theElden Ringdeveloper and publisher. The financial impact of the new deal on Sony’s short-term results is expected to be minimal. Long-term, the investment might help the company continue its push into converged multimedia entertainment, where games, anime, music, and digital services increasingly overlap. The first concrete joint ventures resulting from this newly announced investment are likely to be announced in the months and years ahead.
