Sony Expands Mobile Gaming Reach With Strategic Akatsuki Stake, Koei Tecmo Partnership

Sony Group Corporation SONY has recently acquired a notable stake in Akatsuki, a renowned Japanese mobile video game developer, signifying its intent to further its presence in the mobile gaming sphere.

This strategic move will grant Sony a 9.87% ownership of Akatsuki, enabling collaborative efforts in expanding mobile game reach globally, MS Power User reported.

See Also: Sony's Strategic Partnership With NCSoft Targets Mobile Gaming Expansion

The collaboration aims not only to work on existing and forthcoming mobile game titles but also to venture into new intellectual properties (IP) and content creation, the company said in a press release.

Moreover, Koei Tecmo, a Nintendo ADR NTDOY affiliated development team, has also entered into a partnership with Akatsuki, acquiring 7.97% of its shares.

This collaboration intends to focus on developing and operating multi-device next-gen live-ops games, aiming for global market expansion. Additionally, the partnership aims to undertake marketing, publishing, and creation of fresh IPs, content, and services.

This move aligns with Sony's recent "strategic global business partnership" with NCSoft, the South Korean powerhouse behind online role-playing games such as Guild Wars and Lineage.

Meanwhile, in response to Apple's and Alphabet Inc's dominance in the mobile gaming sector, Microsoft, a direct competitor of Sony, has revealed plans to establish its mobile gaming store and has recently successfully acquired Activision Blizzard King, the creators of the mega-popular mobile game "Candy Crush."

Read Next: Apple Claims iPhone 15 Pro As The 'Next Generation of Mobile Gaming,' Featuring Assassin's Creed Mirage And More AAA Titles

Image credits: Daria Gromova on Shutterstock.