Right here’s an attention-grabbing hearsay: Sony may be seeking to decide up HBO Max from Warner Bros. Discovery, together with a few of its gaming IP.
This story requires some context, beginning with the truth that Warner Bros. Discovery, which has been dealing with some monetary troubles the previous few years, has introduced a restructuring, which incorporates splitting into two separate corporations. If that sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of Ubisoft can also be doing a little very comparable.
The break up can be accomplished by mid-2026, with the newly shaped “Streaming & Studios” being composed of Warner Bros. Tv, Warner Bros. Movement Image Group, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max, and notably, the WB Video games division.
As a part of the break up the corporate additionally introduced that it intends on releasing much less video games general and focus extra on its core IP of Harry Potter, DC, Sport of Thrones and Mortal Kombat.
After all, we already know that Hogwarts Legacy 2 is in improvement, whereas a brand new Sport of Thrones RTS was simply revealed. There’s additionally rumours that Netherealm may be engaged on Injustice 3.
However the place does Sony come into the image? Effectively, in accordance sescoops.com, “Sony is contemplating a purchase order of the newly introduced WBD Streaming and Studios firm.”
Curiously, sescoops.com is a wrestling-focused web site, so not a supply usually value contemplating. Nonetheless, sescoops.com covers All Elite Wrestling (AEW) which is broadcast by Warner Bros. Discovery. sescoops.com has a confirmed observe document in relation to insider AEW data, so it’s doable the web site’s sources even have the within observe on Warner Bros. Discovery.
“Sources stated Sony was solely buying WBD’s streaming, studio and gaming property in the event that they have been separated from its cable networks, which have misplaced tens of millions of houses as viewers abandon conventional cable packages,” says sescoops.com.
Sony has made some motion pictures in direction of turning into a bigger multimedia firm prior to now few years. It additionally confirmed inquisitive about buying Fox earlier than Disney snatched the corporate up, and was in talks to purchase Paramount at one level as properly.
It’s a really attention-grabbing story, however for now I’m inclined to say there isn’t a lot to it. The supply isn’t the strongest, and I don’t assume Sony could be seeking to spend the sum of money it might take to purchase out Warner Bros. Discovery’s new firm. We’re speaking hundreds of workers, a number of recreation studios, a streaming service and extra, all of which may command an enormous value. Proper now, Warner Bros. Discovery holds a market cap of $26 billion. The brand new streaming firm isn’t going to be tied down by as a lot debt (Warner Bros. is maintaining most of it with the second firm) and can seemingly hit the market with a powerful worth of its personal, one probably a lot greater than WBDs present market cap.
Sony, in the meantime, at present has about $24 billion in money. After all, money isn’t all the things and Sony may deliver far more cash to bear if wanted, however the level is shopping for this new firm could be a monumentally big transfer for Sony, and one I can’t think about them prepared to danger. Nor does such an acquisition match into their standard technique.
