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[IbizaPocholo]

Elden Ring Publisher Bandai Namco Commits To Staying "Platform Agnostic"

In the wake of recent acquisitions, Bandai Namco products will be staying in all platforms.

www.dualshockers.com

Arnaud Muller, Bandai Namco Europe's CEO, recently sat down with gamesindustry.biz to discuss the company's various business strategies during such a rapidly-changing era of the industry; among these was the commitment to remain "platform agnostic." Muller was first asked about Elden Ring and was unsurprisingly enthusiastic about its results. He explained that, though they expected Elden Ring to be a very high-quality title, for it to have reached such a large audience was something they were very pleased about.

Supermassive was recently acquired by Nordisk, a Danish company mainly focused on film, but, as Supermassive stated, Muller confirms that this acquisition won't affect the partnership. This shifted the conversation towards the recent trend of acquisitions and how that may affect Bandai Namco's strategies.

"What I find is that we have to secure the IPs that we create with the studios we partner with," says Muller, this is to prevent them from investing in an IP for the developer to then get gobbled up by a larger publisher. Muller expresses confidence that Bandai Namco has "the financial means to secure these partnerships," with measures such as "first option rights, IP ownership," and "minority stakes in those studios."

When asked about Xbox's current plans to acquire Activision and their massive Call of Duty franchise, Muller digressed to state that Bandai Namco has always been "platform agnostic," and so they will remain, since the publisher wishes to have as many players as possible playing its games. With the recent purchases of FromSoftware shares by Sony and Tencent, some fans have expressed concern about a potential acquisition, but it would seem Bandai Namco has put the proper measures in place to ensure Elden Ring's hypothetical sequel, if there ever is one at all, remains multi-platform.

 

[mansoor1980]

he will be singing a different tune once phil and jimbo start their offers

 

[Chupanibre]

As for me, I shall remain platform antagonistic.

 

[FrozenFlame]

As for me, I shall remain platform antagonistic.

 

[SSfox]

It's insane how FS has gone from "WHO?" to the studios that everyone is sucking their D***. And what's even more awesome is that they done it with real games, with no MTX BS and cie.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Great. Now hire some Linux devs and make your shit natively supported in SteamOS. Thanks.

 

[skit_data]

Good.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

This might remain true, at least for awhile. Sony doesn’t rarely if ever acquires large companies and Namco Bandai wouldn’t be a good fit for Microsoft for the obvious reasons.

 

[RoadHazard]

It's insane how FS has gone from "WHO?" to the studios that everyone is sucking their D***. And what's even more awesome is that they done it with real games, with no MTX BS and cie.

I'm not sure how this has anything to do with From really. Bamco doesn't own them, nor any of their IP AFAIK, they just have a publishing deal. Activision published Sekiro.

Edit: Maybe Bamco does own Dark Souls? A bit unclear. Or maybe it's owned by them together somehow. Same with ER I think.

 

[reksveks]

Maybe Bamco does own Dark Souls? A bit unclear. Or maybe it's owned by them together somehow. Same with ER I think.

Namco definitely own either parts or wholely ER and Dark Souls.

 

[RoadHazard]

Namco definitely own either parts or wholely ER and Dark Souls.

I think it's a kind of joint thing where neither of them could make another game in those franchises without the other. So From couldn't make ER2 with Sony or whatever, and Bamco couldn't get a different developer to make it without From's involvement (or them agreeing to it).

Maybe it's that From owns the IP, but Bamco owns the publishings rights. And you need both to release a game.

 

[reksveks]

I think it's a kind of joint thing where neither of them could make another game in those franchises without the other. So From couldn't make ER2 with Sony or whatever, and Bamco couldn't get a different developer to make it without From's involvement (or them agreeing to it).

Maybe it's that From owns the IP, but Bamco owns the publishings rights. And you need both to release a game.

Namco has the trademark for ER but definitely think there might be some agreement in place. I think both Kadokawa and FS want to retain ip control in the future irrespective of what partner they have.

 

[RoboFu]

I don’t want any companies to bought unless they are dying. I know it’s become a fanboy pissing contest but it really isn’t good for industry to lockdown everything to two or three major publishers.

 

[GHound]

I don’t want any companies to bought unless they are dying. I know it’s become a fanboy pissing contest but it really isn’t good for industry to lockdown everything to two or three major publishers.

I personally will never be able to enjoy video games again until my favorite trillion dollar corporation owns half or more of the industry.

 

[Barakov]

Good on you, Bamco. Let people get the games where they want.

 

[Frank Horrigan]

Bandai Namco pronouns are Boxdai/Sonyco

 

[Skifi28]

I can't enjoy any game these days unless my CEO of choice buys everything up to and including the children of the developers.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Those 'fans' should probably learn about some basic Business 101. Sony and Tencent investing into From Software or Kadokawa by buying shares, has absolutely zero bearing on them buying shares into, or acquiring Bandai-Namco. The two are not related; Bandai-Namco are just a publisher for some of From Software's games, specifically the Souls series and Elden Ring.

They do not own Kadokawa, they certainly do not own From Software, so who is out there trying to force a connection there?

 

[Graciaus]

Port the old Tales of games to modern systems and PC then.

 

[cireza]

Sounds like the right business decision.

 

[MOTM]

We’ll see about that when Sony comes in with the money hat as per usual.