Naughty Dog is one of the most celebrated video gaming developers in the world, so it’s no wonder that we’re getting a lot of requests for information about Naughty Dog stock. But as we have discussed many times here on Buy Shares In, not all companies are listed on the stock exchange and stock isn’t available in all of them.
The question is, is that the case here? Can you buy shares in Naughty Dog directly or indirectly, or like Aldi and Lidl, is this one quickly rising company that you need to leave alone?
Buy Naughty Dog Stock
First things first, you can buy Naughty Dog stock, just not directly. This is not a private company, so it is listed, but it is a subsidiary, which means it is available as part of a bigger company. It is much the same with Instagram and WhatsApp, both of which are owned by Facebook. This means that you can’t buy stock in them directly, but by owning Facebook stock you will be owning part of those companies as well.
In the case of Naughty Dog, they are a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment. So, to invest in Naughty Dog Games you need to buy Sony stock. There are a few issues with that though, as discussed below.
First, let’s take a closer look at who Naughty Dog are, what they have done and what the future holds for them.
Who are Naughty Dog?
Naughty Dog are a video gaming developer that are responsible for some of the most celebrated games in recent times. They were the team behind Crash Bandicoot, one of the biggest selling platform games of all time. They also created The Last of Us, a game that was first launched in 2013 and went on to pickup hundreds of awards, including most Game of the Year awards.
This is the game that truly brought Naughty Dog to everyone’s attention, but they also spawned the Uncharted series of games, which are just as breathtakingly beautiful and fun to play as The Last of Us.
Who Owns Naughty Dog?
As mentioned above, they are owned by Sony. But it’s a little more complicated than that. Technically they are a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, which is the gaming arm of this brand. SIE, as it is known, was established in 2001 as a Limited Liability Company and is a subsidiary of Sony.
Naughty Dog was founded in 1984, at which point it was known as JAM Software, with the JAM standing for Jason and Andy’s Magic. The founders, Jason Rubin and Andy Gavin, began by creating skiing games, focusing on Apple computers as a platform. They would later sell games for publication by Electronic Arts and then Universal, woking their way onto the first home consoles of the time.
In the 1990s they began work on a platform game where the camera was positioned behind the player. This game was jokingly titled Sonic’s Ass Game while in production, but would become Crash Bandicoot, the first major success for Naughty Dog.
As they developed games for the Playstation console, Naughty Dog developed a close relationship with Sony and were eventually bought out by them. This seemingly gave them the freedom they needed to continue with their creative endeavors, which ensured they grew into the exciting, award-winning developer they are now.
Should you Buy Naughty Dog Stock?
Yes and no. In the sense that this is a huge developer with some great games behind it and an exciting future ahead, then it’s a big yes. But on the other hand, they are a small part of a huge whole. If you were to buy Sony stock with the hope of getting a small part of Naughty Dog, then it would be like buying the United States just to claim ownership of the Empire State Building.
Gamers looking to invest in companies like Naughty Dog do so because they predict that they will be much bigger than they are, releasing a game that takes off much like some of their previous ones did. But even if this were to happen and they were to release the next big thing, it would still be drop in the ocean as far as the stock goes.
After all, Sony owns one of the biggest film companies in the world, as well as many smaller ones (TriStar, Columbia); they own a huge television company, with everything from music to movie channels; and they have a huge share of the music industry. Even if you just focus on their video gaming links, the success or failure of the Playstation as well as Sony Interactive Entertainment, will always have a bigger impact than Naughty Dog.
Naughty Dog Stock Symbol
The Naughty Dog stock symbol is the Sony stock symbol: NYSE: SNE. They also trade on the Tokyo stock exchange and are a major stock in both of these exchanges. If you want to invest in Naughty Dog stock by purchasing SNE stock, then you just need access to a broker. You can learn more about this on our Online Trading page, where we also discuss CFDs, Forex and other options that are available to traders seeking to get their hands on these stocks.
Benefits of Buying Naughty Dog Through Sony
If you want to invest in the gaming industry then Sony stock is certainly a good way to go about it. Not only do they own Naughty Dog and the Playstation, but through Sony Interactive Entertainment they have released mega franchises like God of War (SIE Santa Monica) the biggest MLB games (SIE San Diego) and SingStar (SIE London). Through additional studios they have also released the Gran Turismo games and the Infamous games, as well as Killzone and Horizon Zero Dawn.
They may not have as many flashy titles as Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, but they have the foundations of a solid gaming company in that they are connected to the guys that make the hardware and they have a slew of top franchises. On top of that they have the breakthrough, game-changing titles that are produced by Naughty Dog.