NetEase Reportedly Acquiring Detroit: Become Human Developer Quantic Dream

Cecil Gao

The famous French Game development studio Quantic Dream is reportedly being 100% acquired by NetEase, one of the biggest Chinese internet technology companies. Sources say the company’s acquisition has been in talks for months, and the announcement will probably come out this summer.

Quantic Dream is known for its early works partnering with Sony to release three exclusive games on PlayStation, Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls for PS3 and Detroit: Become Human for PS4. Sources suggest that Quantic Dream had approached several gaming companies to negotiate being acquired after it published Detroit: Become Human and ended the partnership with Sony in 2018.

Quantic Dream has been getting in a series of scandals in recent years involving sexual harassment, racism and toxic working culture. These issues are reportedly causing hiring difficulties for Quantic Dream right now, several job listings are still vacant years after being posted. It is not yet certain whether NetEase’s acquisition is related to the company's scandals.

NetEase is no stranger to acquiring studios, and it had already purchased a minority stake of Quantic Dream early in 2019. NetEase also fully sponsored the establishment of Nagoshi Studio in 2020 with Toshihiro Nagoshi, the producer of the famous game series Yakuza.

As of now, neither NetEase nor Quantic Dream has publicly commented on the reporting.