Sony Wants to Buy Kadokawa and Their Employees Are Thrilled

Sony's potential acquisition of Kadokawa has sparked excitement among Kadokawa employees, despite concerns about a loss of independence. This article explores the reasons behind their optimistic outlook.

Analyst: A Better Deal for Sony

Sony's confirmed interest in acquiring Kadokawa has generated mixed reactions. While negotiations continue, analyst Takahiro Suzuki, speaking to Weekly Bunshun, suggests the deal benefits Sony more than Kadokawa. Suzuki highlights Sony's shift towards entertainment, but its relative weakness in IP creation. Acquiring Kadokawa, with its extensive portfolio including titles like Oshi no Ko, Dungeon Meshi, and Elden Ring, would significantly bolster Sony's IP holdings.

However, this acquisition would place Kadokawa under Sony's direct control, potentially limiting its operational independence. As noted by Automaton West, reduced autonomy and stricter management could hinder Kadokawa's free-flowing business model, potentially leading to increased scrutiny of projects not directly contributing to IP development.

Kadokawa Employees Welcome the Change

Despite potential drawbacks, many Kadokawa employees reportedly favor a Sony takeover. Weekly Bunshun interviews reveal a generally positive sentiment, with employees expressing a preference for Sony as an acquirer. This positive response is partly attributed to dissatisfaction with the current Natsuno administration.

A veteran employee cited the Natsuno administration's inadequate response to a June cyberattack by the BlackSuit hacking group, which resulted in a significant data breach including sensitive employee information. This lack of decisive action during the crisis has fueled employee discontent, leading many to believe a Sony acquisition could bring about positive leadership changes, potentially starting with a change in presidential leadership. The breach compromised over 1.5 terabytes of data, including legal documents, user information, and personal employee details.