Microsoft and Sony have largely dominated headlines in recent months where acquisitions are concerned, but there are plenty of other big players in the industry with money to spend. One of those is Chinese tech giant NetEase, who could soon be making a big splash of their own.
In a report published on Exputer, known insider Tom Henderson has claimed that Quantic Dream is on the verge of being fully acquired by NetEase. The French developer has allegedly been looking for potential buyers ever since its three-game deal with Sony expired following the launch of Detroit: Become Human in 2018. Henderson claims it’s unclear whether the deal has been fully finalized, though the plan right now seems to be to formally announce the acquisition in summer.
Quantic Dream has been at the center of multiple controversies over the last couple of years, with multiple reports having brought to light the workplace culture issues at the company, including everything from sexual harassment to crunch and more. Said controversies (and subsequent legal consequences) have reportedly presented major issues for Quantic Dream where recruitment is concerned, with the studio supposedly struggling with the development of Star Wars Eclipse, which was announced in December.
Henderson states that the purpose of the NetEase deal will be to provide Quantic Dream with the resources it needs to “bring Star Wars Eclipse to life.”
The two companies certainly have a bit of a history together. In January 2019, it was announced that NetEase had acquired a minority stake in Quantic Dream.
Meanwhile, NetEase has also been making other moves to expand its internal development capabilities, having acquired No More Heroes developer Grasshopper Manufacture last year, while also establishing a new development studio led by Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi.
