Summary
SonyInteractive Entertainment is acquiring U.S. headphone manufacturer Audeze. The move arrives mere months after the companyadded Firewalk Studios to its growing list of first-party PlayStation developers.
Founded in 2008, Audeze is a California-based company that specializes in consumer-facing audio technologies with a focus on high-end headphones. Many of its product lines have been successfully catering to gamers for years by now, with Audeze currently enjoying its reputation as the manufacturer of some ofthe best wireless gaming headsetson the market.
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Enticed by the prospect of owning a premium headphone maker, Sony entered into an agreement to acquire Audeze, the company said Thursday. The conglomerate described the move as a continuation of its efforts to innovate in the gaming audio sphere, with Platform Experience SVP Hideaki Nishino stating that the acquisition will help the company keep delivering the “best audio experience” to PlayStation users. The executive also described the Audeze acquisition as a direct follow-up to the audio advancements accomplished with theSony Pulse 3D wireless headsetand Tempest 3D AudioTech built into the PlayStation 5.
Audeze CEO Sankar Thiagasamudram labeled the sale to Sony as a unique opportunity for scaling the manufacturer’s business, which is still largely focused on the U.S. While the acquisition appears to be primarily motivated by Sony’s desire to bolster its audio capabilities in the gaming space, Audeze will also continue creating products for recording professionals and audiophiles, the CEO explained. The company’s current gaming offerings range from the $299 Penrose headphones to the $899 LCD-GX headset. Meanwhile, its latest flagship product is the LCD-5, which retails at $4,500.
Sony’s plan is for Audeze to keep operating as an independent entity following the acquisition. The financial terms of the newly announced transaction were not disclosed. And though Sony has yet to confirm when the acquisition is planned to go through, that’s likely to happen in a matter of weeks, not least because smaller deals of this sort aren’t subject to regulatory approvals that could slow them down. As for the exact value of the acquisition, data compiled by Crunchbase reveals that Audeze raised just under $500,000 in funding over its 15-year history, while its 2021 revenues are estimated to have reached $5 million. Given that company profile,Sonywill presumably pay a low eight-digit sum for the U.S. manufacturer.
This move might not be the last of Sony’s M&A activities in 2023. On the contrary, several recent developmentssuggested that Sony is actively looking for more acquisitions.
MORE:Acquiring Firewalk Studios Is a Logical Progression of PlayStation’s Big Plan
