Square Enix Deal: Eidos Montreal Exec Heard Rumors
Square Enix’s Eidos Montreal sales may have been part of a larger picture plan for future Sony acquisitions. Stephane D’Astous mentions this rumor in a recent interview.
D’Astous, who left Eidos Montreal in 2013, speculated about the why and how Square’s $300million deal with Embracer Group to fund its three western studios. D’Astous also gives a rough overview of Square Enix Japan’s relationship with its western studios. The Japan branch saw AAA projects such as Tomb Raider and Avengers as failures. Guardians of the Galaxy has also been deemed a failure. We’ve seen the writing on the walls of the Square Enix Montreal and Crystal Dynamic deals for years. But the price tag was still a surprise.
D’Astous’ most notable quote is the casual mention of Square Enix’s interest in acquiring Sony. Although he mentioned that he had heard about Sony’s interest in purchasing, Square Enix Tokyo may not be interested. The complete Games Industry quote is here:
D’Astous admits that this is a rumor. D’Astous does not say if the rumors are from his peers, internal sources, or something he found online. All of these scenarios seem plausible to the ex-Eidos executive. However, Square’s rapid shedding of its western branches is made more plausible by the surprisingly low price tag of the three studios.
We’ve heard rumors about Square Enix selling before. Similar whispers were heard after the May deals with Embracer Group. Bloomberg Japan reported in 2021 that several parties were interested in buying the Final Fantasy maker. Square Enix later denied those claims, claiming they had not been offered and were not considering selling any part of the business.
