There is no loyalty in the business world. Any partnership that is positive for the growth of the company or brand will always be seen in a positive way. That’s why the console war only makes sense in the eyes of fans. Companies don’t have that kind of perspective. And that’s why it shouldn’t surprise us that companies that work with Microsoft also work with Sony and vice versa.
Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Aniplex, and Pocketpair have announced that they are going to establish a joint venture called Palworld Entertainment. This company will be responsible for managing the intellectual property of Palworld, including global licenses and merchandising for everything related to the game, except the game itself. Similar to what Pokémon Company does.
Given the size of the franchise, it is a logical move. Especially because Pocketpair does not have the tools to manage licenses in the most optimal way possible. With the experience of Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony, and Sony Music Entertainment Japan itself, it will be much easier for them to take the game to the next level. It has been a tremendous success, but it is having trouble taking that next natural step.
This does not mean that Palworld is now becoming Sony’s property. Not at all. Each branch of Sony is relatively independent from each other and Sony Music Entertainment Japan is one of the most separate branches from the rest of the matrix. This means that this joint venture does not have to mean anything in terms of the exclusivity or not of the game on consoles.
What is evident is that, as a result of the formation of this company, what we should start to see is much more of Palworld. From here, the possibilities of seeing animes, merchandise, music or even spinoffs developed by other studios are much more likely. But it is not guaranteed. And it will still take some time. Although one thing is certain, after establishing Palworld Entertainment, we will have Palworld for a long time.
