Souls series developer From Software bought out by Kadokawa

From Software, best known as the developer of the Souls series (Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, etc.), has been bought out by Japanese publisher Kadokawa. According to the report from Siliconera, 80 percent of the studio's stock was acquired by Kadokawa for a currently-undisclosed sum. The deal is set to be finalized on May 21.

Though From Software has existed since 1986, it's only recently risen to prominence in the west with the Souls series. First was Demon's Souls in 2009. Most recently the developer released (under Bandai Namco) Dark Souls 2, a brutal follow-up to 2011's Dark Souls. Though sales for the new release haven't been revealed, reviews from both critics and fans alike have been extremely positive. In addition to Souls games, From Software is also responsible for the Armored Core and Tenchu franchises.

Meanwhile, Kadokawa consists of a group of publishing companies fro games, films, books, and more. It has published a number of Suda51 titles including Lollipop Chainsaw. Most recently, it has moved towards developing its own titles, like Natural Doctrine.

It's unclear exactly how this acquisition will affect future From Software games, but the studio's boss, Naotoshi Zin, said that both companies stand to benefit from the deal. He believes the deal should allow the creation of "more in-depth games."