FromSoftware Director Reassures Fans Amid Shareholder Pressure, Teases Unannounced Titles

Hidetaka Miyazaki, known for creating titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, recently addressed concerns regarding shareholder pressure on FromSoftware's parent company, Kadokawa. Miyazaki confirmed that the developer can still "freely make the kind of games we want to make without excessive interference," aiming to reassure fans.

This reassurance comes as Kadokawa faces increasing scrutiny from Oasis Management Company, an activist investment firm that has gradually acquired the largest stake in the Japanese multimedia conglomerate. Oasis Management Company's stake now stands at 13.76%, surpassing Sony's 11.01% share, according to Kadokawa’s latest AGM announcement.

An activist investor typically acquires a significant minority stake in a company to influence its operations or management, usually to boost shareholder returns. Oasis Management Company has acknowledged FromSoftware's financial success with acclaimed series such as Armored Core, Dark Souls, and Elden Ring. However, the firm claims that "Kadokawa fails to capture FromSoftware’s full value, ceding economics to external partners."

Oasis Management Company previously attempted to influence Nintendo in 2014 regarding mobile game development. The firm has also called for the removal of current Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno due to company financial performance. Kadokawa announced on June 3 that it intends to oppose this proposal at its upcoming annual shareholders meeting on June 24.

Miyazaki, responding to inquiries about the situation, acknowledged media reports concerning Oasis and Kadokawa but stated he could not address the matter in depth. He expressed satisfaction with FromSoftware's creative environment, noting, "I'm not saying that there's no room for improvement but we can freely make the kind of games we want to make without excessive interference." He emphasized that maintaining this environment and focusing on game development is crucial for FromSoftware and himself.

Addressing players, Miyazaki affirmed that FromSoftware is working diligently to create new games and hopes fans will anticipate "both the announced and unannounced titles to come." Upcoming announced titles from FromSoftware include Elden Ring Tarnished Edition for Switch 2 and the new action title The Duskbloods, both expected later this year. Elden Ring has achieved significant global sales, exceeding 30 million copies.

In December 2024, Miyazaki stated that while the developer was not considering an Elden Ring 2 at that time, he would not rule out the possibility in the future. Separately, an Elden Ring movie is also reportedly in development.

(Source: IGN)