Sony Interactive Entertainment announced on Thursday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Audeze, an audio technology brand and maker of high-end gaming headphones.
Audeze will continue to operate independently
According to a statement announcing the move, Sony said that the move will help “strengthen SIE’s efforts to continue innovating when it comes to the audio experience of PlayStation games.” Audeze will continue operating independently and develop products for other platforms but will also presumably be making products for the PlayStation ecosystem now as well.
Audeze was founded in the late 2000s and is known for producing high-end headphones for the professional audio, audiophile, and gaming markets. Specifically, their technologies use a unique planar magnetic driver to deliver great sound, something that Sony actually mentioned when it announced its Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore audio devices.
It’s unclear as of now if Audeze will have a hand in either of the new headsets, however.
“Audeze is a premier brand for headphones, and this acquisition highlights Sony Interactive’s focus on innovation and providing the best audio experience to PlayStation players,” said Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President of Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We’re excited to bring Audeze’s expertise into the PlayStation ecosystem, building on the great strides we’ve made with PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech and the Pulse 3D wireless headset.”
“Sony Interactive provides Audeze with a unique opportunity to scale our business, as we continue with our mission to deliver best-in-class headphones to recording professionals, audiophiles, and gamers,” said Sankar Thiagasamudram, CEO at Audeze. “We’re also looking forward to contributing to Sony Interactive’s efforts to take PlayStation audio experiences to the next level.”
