Sony Interactive Entertainment and Square Enix recently held a Final Fantasy 16 pre-release celebration event, during which PlayStation executive Jim Ryan said that the Sony-Square Enix partnership has “never been stronger.” This is the first time Sony has explicitly addressed its relationship with Square Enix in recent years, following speculations that the company is poised to acquire the RPG powerhouse.
Sony and Square Enix go way back, says Jim Ryan
Ryan appeared on stage to say that SIE’s partnership with Square Enix goes all the way back “to the start of PlayStation’s existence.” Indeed popular Square Enix franchises like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy have been synonymous with the PlayStation brand. “We value everything that we do together and your commitment to our brand and business,” Ryan added.
Rumors persist that SIE is on the verge of acquiring Square Enix despite there being no concrete evidence of this claim beyond the companies enjoying a close relationship. Square Enix recently offloaded a large number of its Western studios and IPs — a move that many speculated was designed to make its acquisition more lucrative.
At the same Final Fantasy 16 event, Square Enix also introduced its new CEO Takashi Kiryu, revealing that he’s a gamer who grew up playing Final Fantasy.
