Beijing/Shangai — China’s Tencent is working with its US unit Riot Games to develop a mobile version of League of Legends, the world’s most popular desktop-based game, three sources with knowledge of the matter said. Relations between Tencent and Riot have long been strained over how best to capitalise on the game, in which players hack and slash their way through battle arenas. Riot rejected a Tencent proposal years ago to develop a mobile version, one of the sources said. Tencent then developed a similar mobile offering, Honour of Kings, for China that was launched in November 2015 and has become the world’s highest-grossing multiplayer online battle arena game. But in doing so, it created tensions with Riot that were further inflamed when Tencent launched an adaptation of Honour of Kings, called Arena of Valor, for overseas markets in 2016 and 2017, sources have said. Arena of Valor has been regarded as a flop by some analysts after failing to click with Western gamers. One of ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.