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Intro
Elden Ring is getting closer to the release of the much-anticipated DLC Shadow of the Erdtree but this time around, the new content is not the main topic of conversation as FromSoftware managed to get the ownership of the intellectual property (IP) related to the game.
Elden Ring IP is changing hands
As spotted by Smitch on ResetEra, the IP ownership will be transferred from Bandai Namco to FromSoftware on March 29, 2024.
Considering the recent Bandai Namco earnings report was somber due to the fact the company couldn’t reproduce Elden Ring’s success, losing the IP will probably hit it even harder. On the other hand, it has to be a significant cash injection, considering how big the IP is currently, which also begs the question of how FromSoftware pulled the transaction off.
How FromSoftware bought the IP
Besides Elden Ring making a killing, FromSoftware received a significant investment from Tencent and Sony back in August 2022, resulting in the two industry giants gaining 16.3% and 14.1% stake in the developer, respectively.
Such a boost to FromSoftware’s budget could certainly help them with the buying power and is likely one of the main reasons they were able to become the sole owners of Elden Ring IP.
What the IP ownership means for Shadow of the Erdtree
It is still possible the DLC will be published by Bandai Namco since the ownership change will happen in late March 2024 while the preparations for its deployment on Steam have been going on for weeks now.
That said, Miyazaki is not quite fond of sequels so it is possible any DLC we get for Elden Ring will be the last content in this particular universe. Then again, FromSoft certainly showed they can do a lot without relying on sequels already, with the likes of Sekiro, Bloodborne and technically even Demon’s Souls.
Furthermore, it is not excluded that Bandai Namco may continue publishing FromSoft’s works but the devs will likely hold their IPs close to chest.
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