Tencent invested in Epic Games in June 2012 and now owns 48.4 percent of the company’s shares. Since Tencent’s investment, several employees have left the company. Among them are CEO Mike Capps and co-founder Cliff Bleszinski. Tencent has negotiated an agreement with the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, which concerns the Chinese company’s plans for its games studio.
Tencent owns a 48.4% stake in Epic Games.
In June 2012, Tencent invested $330 million in Epic Games, a decision that helped usher in a new era of free-to-play games. While a Chinese corporation owns the company, it is run independently and has taken steps to protect player privacy. Its policies and practices are in line with the best practices of gaming companies around the world. The company has also implemented industry-leading practices to keep players’ data safe.
Epic Games is not alone in attracting investors from China. The Chinese company also owns popular games developer Riot Games and recently partnered with Red 5 to publish Firefall. This investment has a strong presence in the Chinese gaming industry, which is why Tencent is investing in the game developer. Recent productions from Epic include Gears of War: Judgment and Fortnite. It has two representatives on the board of Epic.
As a result of the Tencent acquisition, Epic Games lost several senior executives and developers. It lost its president, Mike Capps, and its design director Cliff Bleszinski. In February, the company lost its former CEO, Mike Capps, who joined rival Irrational Games. The new ownership also led to the termination of some employees’ contracts. But, there are still a few bright spots in the company.
In addition to its investment in Epic Games, Tencent owns an undisclosed stake in South-East Asia esports company, Sea. It also owns a half-dozen minority stakes in several mobile game companies. Furthermore, it owns a 49.4% stake in Frontier Developments. The latter is a Chinese company that developed games such as Elite Dangerous and Planet Zoo.
The acquisition also boosted the company’s sales in China and elsewhere. After the deal’s announcement, Epic Games hired former Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer as the league’s commissioner. Tencent’s stake in Epic Games was finalized in July, and the deal is considered an associate of the Chinese company. Although it controls a large portion of the company, it does not have much influence over the games Epic produces.
Sony owns a 5.4% stake in the company.
The two companies are partnering to create a real-time, 3D social gaming experience. The two companies previously worked on other projects, including a Travis Scott performance and a Christopher Nolan movie. In the past, Sony has bought up stakes in rival companies, including Epic. Its stake in Epic is comparable to the 40% the company sold to Tencent in 2011. The two companies are also looking to expand their presence in the mobile market with the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
The acquisition of a minority stake in Epic Games is part of an ongoing collaboration between the two companies. Epic and Sony have been working together for months, including when Epic showed a demo of Unreal Engine 5 on PlayStation 5 hardware. With the investment, Sony plans to expand its collaboration. Sony recently acquired a stake in the game company for $250 million, and the two companies plan to further expand their collaboration in the future. The investment by Sony will also help the company continue to fund its efforts, having secured nearly $1.6 billion in funding since 2015.
In addition to the acquisition of Epic Games, Sony has also invested in Epic Games. The game developer Epic Games, maker of Fortnite, is reportedly worth $31.5 billion, thanks to Sony’s investment. The company’s valuation rose from $28.7 billion a year ago to $31.5 billion after Sony’s investment. The company’s recent growth has made Sony’s stake in Epic Games an attractive investment opportunity.
The new ownership of Epic Games will help it expand its business beyond the gaming market. Tencent is a Chinese multinational technology company that owns nearly half of the company, including the Fortnite app. Its latest move into the online game market is part of a larger plan to move Epic towards a games-as-a-service model. The deal will also benefit Sony Computer Entertainment, which owns Riot Games.
Epic Games is a video game development company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. With over 40 offices worldwide, Epic is one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies and a provider of 3D engine technology. The company is also owned by Tencent, which owns Riot Games, an American video game company with international hits. It has also received investment from KIRKBI and Sony.
It has a 1.4% stake in the company.
The Chinese internet giant owns a large chunk of Epic Games, which is why it wants a piece of the action. The company publishes games on different platforms and has a stake in PUBG and Fortnite. It also owns the rights to both games in China and is reportedly looking to acquire the company completely. Tencent has invested in several other gaming companies, including Supercell and Grinding Gear Games. In addition, the company owns a small stake in Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard.
The company is also a huge investor in esports and a major player in the Chinese market. It has a stake in two South-East Asian esports companies and a small majority stake in one of the biggest gaming publishers in China, Miniclip. Tencent had previously claimed to have a 48.4 percent stake in Epic Games, but it has since purchased the remaining shares, giving it a 40 percent stake in the company.
Sony’s Epic Games stake is also seen as a slap at Microsoft, as the latter bought the creator of Minecraft for $2.5 billion. It is also unclear whether Sony will buy Epic Games outright or keep its existing stake in the company. However, this deal will likely not affect the Epic Games Store on PCs. Further, the deal is seen as a veiled shot at Microsoft, which recently purchased Mojang for $2.5 billion.
The Chinese gaming giant invested $330 million in Epic Games in 2012, giving it a 40 percent stake in the company. The investment has been a significant boon to Epic, as it has fueled the popularity of “Fortnite,” which was previously a PlayStation exclusive. While Tencent has acquired a stake in Epic, it is unclear how much of the company will remain in Chinese hands.
The Chinese internet giant also owns a small stake in Riot Games, the popular video game League of Legends maker. The Chinese giant is also trying to make a mobile version of the game and is even working with Riot to make it a free-to-play mobile version. It has been successful, with Arena of Valor becoming the most popular mobile game in Asia.
It is negotiating agreements with the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment.
A Chinese game company with a huge presence in the United States is in talks with the Committee on Foreign Investment to maintain its stakes in both Riot Games and Epic Games. If Tencent fails to meet these demands, it will have to sell off its stakes or shut down the companies. The company has aggressive investment practices and is trying to avoid such consequences. If the company is forced to sell its stakes, it will likely opt to shut the company down instead.
As a result, Tencent has agreed to negotiate risk-management agreements with the committee to retain their investments. These agreements typically include independent auditors and isolating the company’s owner from activities that could compromise national security. In the case of Epic Games, this could lead to a delay in the deal. Tencent’s stake in Riot Games is larger than Epic Games, making it difficult for the U.S. government to approve the transaction.
The Trump administration’s hawkish stance against China is continuing. The new administration focuses on strategic questions, such as Xinjiang’s treatment of Uyghurs. However, there are several key positions for CFIUS that have not yet been filled. In addition, ByteDance, which owns TikTok, is locked in a legal battle with Apple Inc over access to the app store. The company has also complained that Apple’s app review guidelines prevent it from making games with in-app payments.
While Tencent has been acquiring US companies, the Chinese government has been cracking down on the tech sector. As a result, Tencent has begun to review Chinese investments in American companies. The company has also been acquiring companies from other countries. In addition to buying Riot Games, the Chinese company has a controlling stake in Riot. This is a large stake, but a small share of Epic Games remains.
The company has been under intense scrutiny for its past deals. Despite the increased scrutiny, the Chinese company has been working to retain its stakes in two American video game companies. The negotiations with CFIUS started in the second half of last year and could involve risk mitigation measures. If successful, the companies will not have to sell their stakes in Riot Games and Epic Games.
