Tencent Archives

AppWizard

August 20, 2025

Survival crafting adventure game Witchspire announced for PC

Envar Games has announced its new project, Witchspire, a survival crafting adventure game set to launch in Early Access for PC on Steam in 2026. The game allows players to take on the roles of novice witches and wizards in a magical realm threatened by an ancient darkness. Key features include magical survival mechanics, the ability to befriend and nurture diverse familiars, and creative home construction using astral projection. Players can engage in customization, leveling, and crafting while facing various threats in the game world.

BetaBeacon

August 2, 2025

The Epic Games ‘total victory’ doesn’t mean as much as it wants you to think

Google lost its appeal against a 2023 verdict that found its app store and payments system to be illegal monopolies. The company must make changes such as allowing app developers to advertise other app distribution platforms and limit perks for installing its own apps. Epic Games' relationship with the Chinese state and Microsoft's potential foothold in the mobile world are also mentioned. The outcome of the case may result in changes to how apps are installed and the profits made by companies like Google and Epic Games. Appeals, injunctions, and new cases related to the issue are expected to continue.

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

A ‘slavish clone’: Sony is suing Tencent over a game that looks startlingly similar to Horizon Zero Dawn

Sony has filed a lawsuit against Tencent over its game Light of Motiram, claiming it resembles Sony's Horizon Zero Dawn in setting, themes, and gameplay mechanics. Sony describes Light of Motiram as a "slavish clone" and is seeking monetary damages and an injunction against further infringement. The lawsuit follows a previous collaboration where Tencent promoted the game on PlayStation's Weibo account and a past meeting where Tencent pitched a game concept within the Horizon universe without disclosing its development of Light of Motiram. The game is set to launch on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5 and Steam.

AppWizard

July 24, 2025

Ubisoft reports 2.9% dip in net bookings

Ubisoft reported a 2.9 percent decline in net bookings for the quarter ending June 30th, generating €281.6 million. The decline was attributed to the poor performance of Rainbow Six: Siege and a delayed partnership. However, back catalogue sales increased by 4.4 percent, contributing €260.4 million in revenue. Ubisoft is restructuring into Creative Houses to improve operational efficiency, with the first house announced earlier this year, supported by Tencent. CEO Yves Guillemot highlighted the importance of this transformation for enhancing quality and accountability. The new subsidiary will manage major brands like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, marking a significant step in Ubisoft's restructuring efforts.

AppWizard

July 17, 2025

Ubisoft appoints company vet Derennes and Charlie Guillemot co-CEOs of new subsidiary

Ubisoft has appointed Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot as co-CEOs of its new subsidiary, supported by Tencent, to enhance its presence in the gaming industry. Derennes has been with Ubisoft since 1997, serving as managing director for North American operations, while Guillemot has experience leading Ubisoft's Owlient studio and founded a web3 gaming studio called Unagi. The subsidiary will focus on developing and expanding Ubisoft's core franchises, including Assassin's Creed, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry, with Tencent investing .5 billion. Derennes stated the goal is to grow these iconic brands while staying true to their essence and transforming them into expansive experiences.

AppWizard

July 3, 2025

Ubisoft partners with Hooded Horse for unfinished Heroes of Might and Magic project

Ubisoft has transferred the unfinished project, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, to independent publisher Hooded Horse for completion and launch. The original developers, Unfrozen, will continue to be involved in the project. The game is anticipated to enter Early Access in 2025. Tim Bender, CEO of Hooded Horse, and Alain Corre, Ubisoft's chief publishing officer, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. Ubisoft's decision to hand off the project may be related to recent company transformations, including the creation of a new entity focused on core intellectual properties, excluding Heroes of Might and Magic.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Tencent now owns 16% of Helldivers maker Arrowhead

Tencent has acquired a 15.75 percent stake in Arrowhead Games, valuing the studio at SEK 5.1 billion (approximately .8 million). The founders of Arrowhead Games retain 84.24 percent ownership. Arrowhead reported a turnover of SEK 959 million ([openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Chinese tech and entertainment titan Tencent has made a significant move in the gaming industry by acquiring a 15.75 percent stake in Arrowhead Games, the developer behind the popular title Helldivers 2. According to Swedish media outlet DI, Tencent's investment amounts to million, which places a valuation of SEK 5.1 billion (approximately 2.8 million) on Arrowhead. The founders of Arrowhead Games—Johan Pilestedt, Emil Englund, Malin Hedstrom, Peter Lindgren, and Anton Stenmark—retain the remaining 84.24 percent ownership of the studio. This strategic partnership not only underscores Tencent's growing influence in the gaming sector but also highlights Arrowhead's impressive financial performance, with a reported turnover of SEK 959 million (0.2 million) and a profit of SEK 729 million (.2 million). Success of Helldivers 2 Arrowhead's latest release, Helldivers 2, launched at the beginning of 2024, has garnered substantial acclaim, dominating the Steam charts for four consecutive weeks. Johan Pilestedt, the studio's chief creative officer and former CEO, expressed his pride in the team's accomplishments, stating, "It's fantastic fun, and I feel incredibly proud of what the team has managed to achieve. Above all, it's proof that what we do resonates with the player base." In discussing the implications of the Tencent partnership, Pilestedt remarked, "It also opens up opportunities for China as a market. Gaining access to the Chinese player base is the holy grail in the gaming industry." This sentiment reflects a broader trend in the gaming landscape, where access to the vast Chinese market is increasingly seen as a pivotal factor for success. In a notable leadership transition, Arrowhead promoted Shams Jorjani to the role of CEO in May 2024, signaling a new chapter for the studio as it navigates its growth trajectory in collaboration with Tencent." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].2 million) and a profit of SEK 729 million ([openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Chinese tech and entertainment titan Tencent has made a significant move in the gaming industry by acquiring a 15.75 percent stake in Arrowhead Games, the developer behind the popular title Helldivers 2. According to Swedish media outlet DI, Tencent's investment amounts to million, which places a valuation of SEK 5.1 billion (approximately 2.8 million) on Arrowhead. The founders of Arrowhead Games—Johan Pilestedt, Emil Englund, Malin Hedstrom, Peter Lindgren, and Anton Stenmark—retain the remaining 84.24 percent ownership of the studio. This strategic partnership not only underscores Tencent's growing influence in the gaming sector but also highlights Arrowhead's impressive financial performance, with a reported turnover of SEK 959 million (0.2 million) and a profit of SEK 729 million (.2 million). Success of Helldivers 2 Arrowhead's latest release, Helldivers 2, launched at the beginning of 2024, has garnered substantial acclaim, dominating the Steam charts for four consecutive weeks. Johan Pilestedt, the studio's chief creative officer and former CEO, expressed his pride in the team's accomplishments, stating, "It's fantastic fun, and I feel incredibly proud of what the team has managed to achieve. Above all, it's proof that what we do resonates with the player base." In discussing the implications of the Tencent partnership, Pilestedt remarked, "It also opens up opportunities for China as a market. Gaining access to the Chinese player base is the holy grail in the gaming industry." This sentiment reflects a broader trend in the gaming landscape, where access to the vast Chinese market is increasingly seen as a pivotal factor for success. In a notable leadership transition, Arrowhead promoted Shams Jorjani to the role of CEO in May 2024, signaling a new chapter for the studio as it navigates its growth trajectory in collaboration with Tencent." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].2 million). Helldivers 2, released in early 2024, has topped the Steam charts for four weeks. Shams Jorjani was promoted to CEO of Arrowhead in May 2024.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

Lighthouse Games lands additional funding from Tencent

UK-based developer Lighthouse Games has received another round of funding from Tencent, although the exact amount is undisclosed. Founded in 2023 by Gavin Raeburn, the studio aims to accelerate the development of its inaugural title with this investment. This funding follows an earlier investment from Tencent in the same year, indicating a growing partnership. Lighthouse Games plans to enhance its operations in Leamington Spa to explore innovative creative avenues for their debut title in the driving genre.

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

What’s driving growth in the Chinese video game industry?

The Chinese game industry has experienced significant growth, with popular titles like Genshin Impact and Black Myth: Wukong driving global interest. Black Myth: Wukong sold 10 million copies within a week of its August 2024 launch and won Game of the Year at the 2024 Steam Awards. The single-player game market in China is becoming more sustainable, with a shift in focus due to the success of titles like Black Myth: Wukong. Developers are adapting their strategies, although challenges such as high production costs, competition, and issues related to work culture persist. Local governments are actively supporting game development through licensing, tax breaks, and grants, with initiatives aimed at integrating cultural themes into games. Despite layoffs in the industry, a robust social safety net exists to support affected employees.

AppWizard

May 13, 2025

Platkin joins letter pushing messaging app to stop fentanyl trafficking

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general to address concerns regarding the encrypted messaging app WeChat, which is believed to facilitate fentanyl trafficking in the United States. This group claims that WeChat enables traffickers to launder money, particularly through transactions from China to Mexico. They have urged the app to take immediate action against these "dangerous and unlawful" activities. The attorneys general emphasize a pattern of complicity by WeChat in facilitating money laundering related to fentanyl trafficking, with a DEA agent stating that criminal activities are openly occurring on the platform.