Tencent is reportedly looking to offload multiple game studios, including Story of Seasons developer Marvelous.

As reported by Bloomberg, Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent is reportedly negotiating exits from several of its minority video game studio investments as part of a reassessment of its portfolio. The company has minority investments in the likes of Ubisoft, Bloober Team, Epic Games, Shift Up, and Remedy. However, the only studio named in the report is Story of Seasons and Daemon X Machina developer Marvelous – Tencent acquired 20% of the company's shares in 2020.

The tech giant is reportedly looking at selling stakes back to original management in some cases, even if it incurs a loss.

This report comes a week after it was reported that French developer Don't Nod – known for Life is Strange, Lost Records, and most recently Aphelion – is potentially facing trouble as Tencent is reportedly not likely to back the studio going forward after missed sales expectations. Tencent currently owns a 42% stake, with word that the company could face closure should a publishing deal not be made with an external partner for its next project.

It's also reported that Tencent's investments in the likes of Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames and Elden Ring developer FromSoftware (and its parent company Kadokawa) will not be affected by these changes.

In a statement given to Bloomberg, Tencent says: "We remain fully committed to working with our investees and maintaining our strong presence in the Japanese game market over the long term."

Sometimes I don't know what I want until I know what I don't. It's been six years since Far Cry 6 dropped us off on the island of Yara, five of which I've spent wondering how developer Ubisoft might one-up on its greatest hit (cough: that's Far Cry 5) with Far Cry 7 in development as of 2021.

But I'm not here to argue about the best Far Cry games, despite how correct I am. I wish I had more positivity to share, but from Ubisoft's alleged use of generative AI to the harsh real-world time limits spoken of in various rumored "leaks", I have to be blunt about one of my favorite FPS series: the future of Far Cry sounds impossibly bleak.

Planting the Seeds

The most fun I have ahead of a major game launch is indulging myself in fan theories. Sometimes, they can be better than the actual thing – I still can't believe Capcom didn't actualize my wildest prediction about Resident Evil Requiem. When it comes to Far Cry 7, that rumor mill has been going haywire for years now.

It's not all been bad news. I could handle the heavier tilt toward online multiplayer, as was theorized five years ago. More recent leaks suggest a Taken-style plot, where the protagonist character must rescue their family in a certain real-world time frame, and I don't hate the idea as much as begrudge the prospect of rushing through a stunning open world just because the game says so.

Again, all of this is pure speculation at this point. But with recent news suggesting that Ubisoft has been using Far Cry 7 to experiment with generative AI, I have to kindly ask: has Ubisoft been huffing some of Hope Seed's psychotropic flowers, or is there something else in the water?

That "something" happens to be a massive company-wide restructure. The move, which is still ongoing, saw Ubisoft consolidating its brands under five creative houses, with the first seeing Far Cry, Assassin's Creed, and Rainbow Six Siege to be managed by Vantage Studios from hereon out. This change has led to "disappointing" short term financials, according to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in the company's latest earnings call, with a sight to see a turnaround later down the line with major releases for these top IPs slated for 2027 and beyond.

All that to say, it's clear Ubisoft is taking its time with Far Cry 7 and Assassin's Creed Hexe as it cleans up house. The fact that we have zero details confirmed about Far Cry 7 at this stage wouldn't usually bother me too much (see above), but the silence paired with Ubisoft's restructuring has me feeling uneasy. Even if the developer is allegedly playing around with generative AI using its current build of Far Cry 7 to test out Teammates, its separate gen-AI NPC initiative is enough to make me balk.

Destination unknown

I'm not ready for generative AI in my Far Cry, and I'm less ready for whatever Teammates is. But if Ubisoft is comfortable enough to experiment with gen-AI in this capacity at all, it speaks volumes about what the restructure might bring.

Ubisoft's poor fiscal performance in the past two years has brought with it a desire for change, and what better way for it to leverage its newly-minted Tencent partnership by leaning into the Chinese company's penchant for AI-powered gaming solutions? Implementing something like Tencent's Giinex – which helps developers experiment with generative AI-powered NPCs – in a Far Cry game is suddenly an actual possibility, as is the use of GameGen-X in creating procedurally-generated AI open worlds.

Generative AI in video games is not my cup of tea (shock, horror), but it also sounds like a terrible move for Far Cry 7. This is an FPS series where Ubisoft has delivered some of its most inventive work, from Blood Dragon's ridiculous '80s camp to romping about Midwest America with a friendly bear called Cheeseburger. Then there are those Far Cry 7 leaks which, if true, point to it being the most adventurous take on the series' format yet. With rumors of timed conditions and numerous protagonists being enough of an envelope-push for the new game as it is, I'd hate to see Ubisoft play with its food too much on the hunt for novelty over a game that players actually want.

Surely with this much time on its hands, Ubisoft can find a way to actually make a game rather than let a machine generate one – even if it'll be hard pressed to top Far Cry 5. Like, ever.

Check out all the upcoming Ubisoft games that have been revealed so far, from Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe to the future of Rainbow Six Siege.

Stellar Blade and Goddess of Victory: Nikke developer Shift Up has revealed new plans to increase its efforts in self-publishing in job postings first noticed by South Korean gaming website GameMeca.

This apparent decision to self-publish comes at interesting timing – ahead of the Stellar Blade sequel's planned release window sometime before 2027. Notably, Sony published the original horny action-apocalypse Stellar Blade in 2024, but the in-progress sequel Shift Up hopes will be an "even greater success than the original" does not have a publisher attached to it yet.

Instead of spending time looking for a publisher, Shift Up is publicly recruiting for a number of jobs across multiple departments – including PR and, according to Google Translate, designers for the Stellar Blade sequel. As part of its search, it's telling candidates in descriptions translated by Automaton that it's "preparing for a new leap forward in the global market."

"Beyond the worldwide success of Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and Stellar Blade," the company continues. "We aim to expand our self-publishing capabilities to support internally developed titles across consoles and PC." Shift Up last self-published the popular Korean visual novel The Reason Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion in 2021 – but its stuffed coffers now likely allow for even more, and even bigger, projects. Stellar Blade's PC launch alone sold one million copies in three days on the market, but even before that, Shift Up was giving its employees free PS5 Pros for a job well done on the game.

In a statement to GameMeca, also translated by Automaton, a Shift Up spokesperson explains that the company is indeed trying to capitalize on its recent global growth, and it aims to support its own titles long-term. That said, Shift Up's upcoming, self-described "EASTERN Fantasy" game Project Spirits is getting published by Tencent. Its characters also have physiologically improbable boobs.

Stellar Blade lead believes AI is essential for South Korea to compete with studios in the US and China, with the government to provide financial backing to support the use of the tech.

The future for Highguard does not look bright. Developer Wildlight went through mass layoffs barely two weeks after launch, and if the game can stage a comeback at this point, it'll be something beyond a miracle. Today, however, a bizarre twist in the Highguard saga has emerged, as a new report suggests Chinese megapublisher Tencent financially backed the game.

Tencent's TiMi Studio Group, which makes games including Pokemon Unite and Delta Force, "was the undisclosed lead financial backer" behind Wildlight, according to Game File. Exact details of the arrangement, including the amount of funding, when or if it ended, and why it was never publicly disclosed were not provided by the outlet's sources.

Tencent has wide-ranging investments in a range of Western studios, including Ubisoft, Epic, and Riot, so the suggestion that it's involved in a project like Highguard isn't altogether shocking, but it is bizarre that the funding was never made public. Wildlight is "technically independent and not part of TiMi," Game File says.

One account of Wildlight from a former developer describes it as an "independent, self-published, dev-led studio full of passionate people just trying to make a fun game, with zero AI, and zero corporate oversight." Whatever financial input Tencent might've had in Highguard's development, it seems that did not extend to creative input.

Still, Tencent's financial backing was not enough to save Wildlight from suffering mass layoffs just over two weeks after Highguard was released. Whether the game itself shuts down remains to be seen, but players are treating the sudden disappearance of the official website as a massive warning sign.

Whether Highguard was ever good enough to earn a chance – much less a second chance – is a matter of some debate, but the initially dismal Steam reviews did improve slightly and major updates did come quickly. Yet the game hasn't even had a month on the market before its investors started trying to cut their losses.

The incredibly competitive world of online gaming is notoriously tough to break into for any new project, and day one success stories are rare. But between Sony's Concord, Riot's 2XKO, and now Highguard, it feels like the runway is getting shorter with every failure. If (alleged) Tencent money isn't enough to give developers a meaningful shot at finding their audience, I can't imagine what hope any big multiplayer game has in 2026.

Our list of the best online games includes a few that never would've made it if they'd only been given weeks to live or die.

Sony and Tencent's legal battle over Light of Motiram, an alleged "slavish clone" of Horizon developed and published by the latter, is done. The two have reached an out-of-court settlement, and the game is no longer available on Steam or the Epic Games Store.

Back in July, Sony took Tencent to court to stop Light of Motiram from being released. The game, an open-world adventure featuring a female protagonist in a post-apocalyptic landscape populated by biomechanical animals, was alleged to resemble Sony's hugely successful Horizon games closely. So much so, the PlayStation maker believed it infringed on the copyright, as the company's case states.

Tencent attempted to file for dismissal, arguing "fame does not create a trademark" and that Sony was trying to "monopolize" certain well-trodden ideas within the video game space. It transpired that meetings were held between the two parties for something Horizon-related that ultimately fell through, and it seemed their contentious back-and-forth would continue, but now they've come to an agreement.

A new court document shows Sony has withdrawn the claim, and the suit is "dismissed with prejudice." In other words, it can't be reopened or re-litigated at a later date. A representative for Tencent confirmed to The Verge that an agreement has been reached.

"SIE and Tencent are pleased to have reached a confidential resolution and will have no further public comment on this matter," Sean Durkin, head of communications for Tencent Americas, said. "SIE and Tencent look forward to working together in the future."

Light of Motiram has since been removed from Steam and the Epic Games Store. The project's fate is unclear, however, as the official site and related social media channels remain up, without updates since Sony began proceedings.

8 years after Horizon Zero Dawn, developer Guerrilla Games reveals it "always thought about it as a multiplayer game" following Horizon MMORPG announcement.

Earlier this year, Sony filed a lawsuit against Chinese multinational technology conglomerate and holding company Tencent, dubbing its project Light of Motiram a "slavish clone" – only for Tencent to later hit back with its own motion to dismiss.

Shortly after, Sony clapped back with a response, saying, "The damage is done" and calling Tencent's reply "nonsense." The Horizon Zero Dawn publisher also doubled down on its argument that Light of Motiram is a "knock-off" of its action RPG. After going through why it finds Tencent's logic unfounded, Sony concluded, "For the foregoing reasons, the Motion to Dismiss should be denied in its entirety."

The legal battle isn't anywhere near over just yet, however – and Tencent has returned with a new document directed toward Sony. The company starts its 21-page statement by outlining why it feels the opposition's "lawsuit was brought against the wrong parties, long before many of the purported acts of infringement had even occurred, regarding intellectual property rights that are, at least in part, not adequately pleaded."

The document continues: "Sony might be frustrated by the fact that it has to follow the proper procedures and serve the parties that, as alleged, are actually the relevant actors. But that is no reason to allow a deficient lawsuit to proceed against defendants who are not responsible for the infringing conduct alleged." This part seemingly alludes to an argument Tencent made previously: "Plaintiff Sony has sued a grab-bag of Tencent companies."

Sony did respond before, explaining that Tencent "and the entities it owns and/or controls have engaged in conduct that infringes SIE's intellectual property" and therefore it's not such a "grab-bag," after all. Back to the current document, though, where Tencent goes on to say, "The Complaint should be dismissed because Sony has failed to demonstrate that this Court can exercise personal jurisdiction over Tencent Holdings," and more.

It "has failed to allege any specific facts supporting its claims against any of the three Served Defendants, has failed to plead essential elements of its trademark claims, and has failed to demonstrate that its chief claim – development of an allegedly infringing video game – is ripe for adjudication," according to Tencent. The company later reiterates this, writing, "Sony alleges no facts, nor introduces any supplemental evidence…"

Throughout its new response, Tencent makes various arguments about how Sony "fails to show purposeful direction," why "exercising personal jurisdiction over Tencent Holdings is not reasonable, how "Sony fails to allege any specific conduct by the served defendants," and much more. The company also notably replies to Sony's allegations of Tencent's "copying of Horizon's protected elements" in Light of Motiram, specifically Aloy.

"Fame does not create a trademark; to qualify as a trademark, a mark must serve as a source identifier for a particular good or service," declares Tencent. Talk about heavy… and there's likely still quite a long road ahead for the legal battle between Sony and Tencent to unfold. To think it all started after Light of Motiram, which itself is described as an open-world survival game, caught people's eyes (and evidently, Sony's) for its similarities to Horizon Zero Dawn.

Although developer and Tencent subsidiary Polaris Quest went on to scrub any sign of robot mastodons and Aloy lookalikes from its Steam page, it wasn't enough – and now, we've just got Sony's next response to anticipate, I suppose.

Looking for something to play? Here are a few of the most exciting new games coming this year and beyond.

Earlier this year, Sony filed a lawsuit against Chinese multinational technology conglomerate and holding company Tencent, dubbing its project Light of Motiram a "slavish clone" – only for Tencent to later hit back with its own response.

In its reply, which came in September, Tencent called Sony's lawsuit "an improper attempt to fence off a well-trodden corner of popular culture." The situation unfolded after open-world survival game Light of Motiram was said to be a copy of Horizon Zero Dawn, prompting developer and Tencent subsidiary Polaris Quest to scrub any sign of robot mastodons and Aloy lookalikes from its Steam page before officially responding.

It's not over yet, however. Sony has just responded with a 35-page rebuttal, dubbing the fellow studio's arguments "nonsense" and outlining its reasons. "The damage is done – and it continues," it reads. "SIE has already suffered injury by Tencent promoting its knock-off game, as made clear by the many instances of actual consumer confusion documented in the Complaint that Tencent does not – and cannot – challenge in its motion."

The response written on behalf of Sony continues, explaining that Tencent "and the entities it owns and/or controls have engaged in conduct that infringes SIE's intellectual property" – and Tencent's arguments against Sony's lawsuit have little legal standing: "On all points, Tencent's motion is meritless and should be denied." The opposition goes on to describe the history of Horizon Zero Dawn and Tencent's desire to create a spin-off of the successful game.

According to Sony, Tencent's requests to make a new Horizon title were actually denied: "SIE declined Tencent's proposal." This apparently didn't stop the company, though.

"Nonetheless, Tencent proceeded with its plan," as the new document describes. It goes on to state, "The copying was so egregious that numerous journalists and Horizon fans called Light of Motiram 'a major Horizon rip off,' 'an obvious knock off,' a 'copycat' with a main character that 'resembles Aloy to a tee,' and 'extremely similar to Horizon Zero Dawn.'"

Sony doubles down on this throughout its legal statement, emphasizing how "obvious and pervasive" Tencent's "copying of Horizon's protected elements" in Light of Motiram is – from its alleged Aloy clone to its post-apocalyptic world. There are a lot of points brought up within the 35 pages, as lengthy as they are, but it all boils down to one thing: Sony's request for Tencent's motion from September to now be dismissed.

"For the forgoing reasons," the new opposition from Sony concludes, "the Motion to Dismiss should be denied in its entirety." There's no telling yet where the case will go next or what Tencent will say – but for now, it does appear Light of Motiram is still in the works.

Looking for something to play? Here are a few of the most exciting new games coming this year and beyond.

Earlier this year, Sony filed a lawsuit against Chinese multinational technology conglomerate and holding company Tencent, alleging that its project Light of Motiram a "slavish clone" – now, Tencent has officially issued its own response.

Open-world survival game Light of Motiram was said by Sony to be a copy of Horizon Zero Dawn, prompting developer and Tencent subsidiary Polaris Quest to scrub any sign of robot mastodons and Aloy lookalikes from its Steam page. The company hadn't responded to Sony otherwise at the time, however – but it has now, as reported by The Game Post. In its response to the lawsuit, Tencent outlines why it believes Sony has overstepped.

"Plaintiff Sony has sued a grab-bag of Tencent companies – and ten unnamed defendants – about the unreleased video game Light of Motiram, alleging that the game copies elements from Sony's game Horizon Zero Dawn and its spinoffs," reads the statement. "At bottom, Sony's effort is not aimed at fighting off piracy, plagiarism, or any genuine threat to intellectual property." Tencent doesn't stop there.

"It is an improper attempt to fence off a well-trodden corner of popular culture and declare it Sony's exclusive domain," it continues. "In Sony's telling, Horizon Zero Dawn is 'like no fictional world created before [or] since.'" According to Tencent, this claim is "startling" as "it is flatly contradicted by Sony's own developers, not to mention the long history of video games featuring the same elements that Sony seeks to monopolize through this lawsuit."

Tencent declares that Sony's lawsuit "tellingly ignores these facts," and instead "tries to transform ubiquitous genre ingredients into proprietary assets. By suing over an unreleased project that merely employs the same time-honored tropes embraced by scores of other games released both before and after Horizon," like Breath of the Wild and Outer Wilds, "Sony seeks an impermissible monopoly on genre conventions."

Tencent cites examples of Horizon Zero Dawn's own devs' comparisons between the Sony game and others before it, like an instance in which art director Jan-Bart van Beek said it was similar in concept to 2013 title Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. "Long before this lawsuit was filed," explains the company, "the developers of Horizon Zero Dawn publicly acknowledged that the very same game elements that, today, Sony claims to own exclusively, were in fact borrowed from an earlier game."

Furthermore, Tencent says Sony's lawsuit targeted the incorrect entities and is therefore not legally valid. "None of the served defendants develop and market the Light of Motiram video game that Sony alleges infringes its intellectual property in the Horizon franchise," reads the response from Tencent. Light of Motiram is in development under Polaris Quest, whereas Tencent Holdings Ltd. simply stands as a parent company.

"Sony's threadbare, conclusory allegations improperly lump these Defendants together with the foreign companies alleged to be responsible for the core conduct at issue," continues the document. "Sony's vague allegations against 'Tencent' or 'Defendants' generally cannot substantiate the claims it brings against Tencent America, Proxima Beta US, or Tencent Holdings specifically."

There's also timing. Light of Motiram isn't set to release until 2027, with Tencent arguing that Sony's lawsuit is therefore built on hypotheticals of what the game "might" look like or what the sued companies "might" do with it. "The alleged infringements have not occurred and may in fact never occur," as the company describes in its statement to Sony. There's no telling just yet what will come of it all, but "Tencent America, Proxima Beta U.S., and Tencent Holdings respectfully request dismissal of the claims alleged against them in the Complaint."

The response from Tencent was only issued yesterday, whereas Sony's initial lawsuit arrived in late July this year. It may be some time before another statement comes from either side – but for now, it does look like Light of Motiram is still in the works.

Looking for something to play? Here are a few of the most exciting new games coming this year and beyond.

Sometimes, a video game doesn't have to sell well for it to still be considered a success. Sometimes, a company wants critical acclaim – other times some developers just want to have fun. In the case of action RPG The First Berserker: Khazan, the game helped its publisher Nexon set the stage for a planned global IP rollout of Dungeon & Fighter, the game Khazan is based on.

In a new earnings call, Nexon shared some valuable insights into the company's strategy around Khazan. It reads: "The game made its global debut on March 28 with strong ratings from both players and critics. While Q1 revenue was below our outlook, the game achieved our objective as a strategic first step in a multi-year plan to introduce Dungeon & Fighter IP to a global audience."

Before I played Khazan, I'd never even heard of Dungeon & Fighter, so it clearly did work to promote that game. If you're also unaware of it, it's a multiplayer beat 'em up known as Dungeon Fighter Online in the West, and it's grossed billions of dollars since its release in 2005.

That's not all, though. Khazan has "set a stage for two new titles – Project OVERKILL and Dungeon&Fighter: ARAD – expected by 2027." Its publisher Tencent has also "opened pre-registration for a Chinese adaptation of Khazan."

So, not only has the game increased visibility for Dungeon Fighter Online, but it's also hopefully going to raise the profile on two more games, and we all love more games.

As for Khazan itself, it's had two new free boss rush modes added that you can try once you beat it.

You can also check out some of the best action games you can play instead if you've already had your fill of Khazan.

Elden Ring fans are reacting to the mobile port news and have started theorizing how the Genshin Impact-style app could look. 

Earlier this week, it was reported that Elden Ring is getting a free-to-play mobile port with Genshin Impact-style microtransactions. Understandably, fans of the FromSoftware title are skeptical about how well the action RPG will translate to mobile devices, especially if it's likely to be full of microtransactions and require players to explore The Lands Between by tapping their screen. 

Elden Ring fans and FromSoftware experts are already reacting negatively to the news. The report was shared by Reuters reporter Josh Ye via Twitter, and has since been picked up by various well-known fans. For instance, Dark Souls YouTuber illusionarywall quote tweeted Ye's report and simply added: "...what?"

The Dark Souls fan seemed to be mostly dismayed by the free-to-play and microtransaction element of reported developer Tencent's plans. "I'm imagining a stressed developer somewhere being tasked with figuring out how to replace the crafting system with loot boxes," illusionarywall continues. Elsewhere on Twitter, another FromSoftware fan and YouTuber, @Ziostorm1, shared a glimpse into what Elden Ring mobile could look like, and it's about as chaotic as you're imagining. 

Other fans have also poked fun at the possibility of a free-to-play Elden Ring and brought back the Ubisoft Elden Ring meme that re-imagines the game flooded with chaotic UI. It's overwhelming, to say the least.

"Imagine you still can’t pause, you get a call and come back to find out you got invaded and lost 4 hours of soul farming," one Twitter user said. "Oh god please no Genshin Ring," a fan on Reddit also shared. 

The mobile port is probably still a while away, thankfully, fans will hopefully soon have the Elden Ring Shadow of Erdtree DLC to keep them busy. 

Microsoft Gaming now owns Activision Blizzard. It's taken almost two years to get here, following protracted legal battles to get the deal over the line. You can read through all of our existing coverage of the Xbox Activision deal below, but for now the important thing is that the $68.7 billion has closed. Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard, and that means some big changes are on the distant horizon. 

I say distant because it's going to take some time for the gears to start turning. Eventually, you should expect to see franchises like Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Diablo, World of Warcraft, and others join the Xbox Game Pass fold – just not immediately. 

Below you'll find our Xbox Activision deal explainer, which we will continue to keep updated as more information comes as the deal closure details are released. 

The basics

When did Xbox buy Activision?

News of the Xbox Activision deal first surfaced on January 18, 2022. Naturally, this is just the first step in a lengthy process for approval, with both the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the European Commission (EC) formally filing complaints to block the acquisition due to concerns surrounding competition in the market. Even without investigations, these massive deals can often take some time to complete: When Microsoft announced its intention to acquire ZeniMax Media in September 2020, it took a further six months before the likes of Arkane Studios and Bethesda Softworks could be officially welcomed into the Microsoft Gaming fold. Xbox has said that it is targeting a June 2023 closure date for its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. 

How much was the Xbox Activision Deal?

Microsoft has said it will buy Activision Blizzard for $95 dollars a share, in an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion. This would be the most expensive video game acquisitions in the industry's history, dwarfing the $8.1 million that Microsoft paid for ZeniMax Media in 2021 and the massive $12.7 billion that Take-Two Interactive paid to acquire Zynga last year. As for why Xbox paid so much for Activision, there's a number of factors. Activision Blizzard is a global business, with studios positioned all over the world and with nearly 10,000 employees on its books. That's certainly a factor in the valuation,  alongside Activision's massive share in the mobile market and its ownership of some of the video game industry's most popular and long-lasting franchises. 

Why did Xbox buy Activision? 

There are a variety of factors at play when trying to understand why Microsoft would want to buy Activision. The most obvious is that it gives the Xbox division access (and creative control) to some of the video game industry's most enduring IP – Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Crash Bandicoot, Diablo, Overwatch, Spyro the Dragon, StarCraft, World of Warcraft, and so the list goes on. Not only would Microsoft Gaming profit from new entries to these franchises, but it would be able to use legacy games to significantly bolster the Xbox Game Pass games list. Activision Blizzard reportedly tracks "nearly 400 million monthly active players in 190 countries and three billion-dollar franchises" across its console, PC, and mobile divisions, which would significantly bolster the growth of Game Pass, Xbox's investment in Cloud Gaming technology, and Microsoft's ability to compete with Sony and Nintendo. 

The details

When are Activision games coming to Xbox?

Many Activision games are already on Xbox, because Activision is a third-party publisher. That means that it produces games regardless of platform, as opposed to first-party publishers (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo), who produce games for their specific ecosystems (Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch, respectively).

For example, every Call of Duty game comes to Xbox, as have other notable Activision games; recently, that includes the likes of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, and Crash Bandicoot 4. Blizzard games are also released on Xbox; Overwatch 2 launched into early access on Xbox Series X and Xbox One, while Diablo 4 is also coming to both consoles later this year.

If the deal goes through, future Activision Blizzard games will continue to be available on Xbox – and day and date through Game Pass – but it remains to be seen if their availability on Sony consoles will be impacted. Activision-Blizzard would become a first-party company within Microsoft, meaning that it would primarily be producing games for the wider Xbox ecosystem. Microsoft has made a years-long commitment to keeping several of Activision-Blizzard's games on other platforms, but it's likely that eventually, those games will be exclusive to Xbox,PC, and Microsoft's Game Pass and Cloud Gaming services.

Will dormant Activision franchises return?

Activision was founded in 1979, and has a wealth of IP and legacy titles locked away in its vault. With Xbox in control of the portfolio, there's every chance that some older (or long-dormant) franchises could make a return, which is something Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has claimed is a "pretty exciting" prospect. Naturally, we all have our dream series revivals, and we have already made a wishlist of Activision Blizzard franchises we want to see reborn at Xbox. 

When will Activision games come to Game Pass?

There are already hundreds of video games available as part of the full Xbox Game Pass games list, and that's expected to grow following the completion of the deal. However, there is no timeline for how long that may take. When Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media, it took just a few days for 20 of the biggest Bethesda games to join the service – and more have joined since. Microsoft has said that it expects franchises like Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Diablo to join Xbox Game Pass eventually, although the arrival of Call of Duty may be delayed by "a number of years" due to ongoing negotiations with Sony. While you wait for those, here's our pick of the best Xbox Game Pass games to play today.

What the publishers have said

What has Microsoft said? 

Microsoft has maintained that the goal is making Activision Blizzard's catalog more accessible. While Game Pass will be stronger with Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Diablo included, Spencer noted as far back as Microsoft's first blog on the deal that "Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms". As such, the plan is "to continue to support those communities moving forward".

A question of competitive  fairness within the gaming market has also arisen, with Microsoft previously adding the likes of Bethesda to its ranks. To that, the company has pointed out that, should the deal go through, Microsoft would be the third-largest gaming company revenue, behind Tencent and Sony.

What has Sony said? 

Sony doesn't appear convinced Microsoft's pledges to keep games like Call of Duty readily available are genuine. As various international regulators scrutinize the deal, we've seen plenty of back and forth between the pair. For example, throughout the UK's investigation into the agreement, Microsoft accused the competition regulator of relying on Sony's objections, namely "misplaced" concerns over Call of Duty. 

In a statement to Reuters, a Sony spokesperson reiterated that the deal was "bad for competition, bad for the gaming industry, and bad for gamers themselves". "This deal would give Microsoft's Xbox ecosystem a unique combination of tech and content, and hence a dominant position in gaming, with devastating consequences for consumers, independent developers, and Sony itself," they said. 

More broadly, a lot of concern stems from Call of Duty's continued availability. Sony reportedly said that Microsoft isn't offering parity, with the Xbox creator answering that a 10-year deal has been put up. The importance of the series to gaming has also been a constant, with Sony playing it up while Microsoft plays it down.

What has Nintendo said?

Nintendo has been largely silent on the Xbox Activision deal. While Sony and Microsoft continue to trade words and legal filings, the Switch manufacturer has been holding conversations behind-closed-doors. Microsoft president Brad Smith has confirmed that the pair have signed a "binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo's gamers, should the deal close. This would of course include Call of Duty – the franchise has appeared on Nintendo consoles in the past, although not for a long while; a Wii U port of Call of Duty: Ghosts arrived in 2013. 

What has Valve said?

Despite being offered a similar deal to Nintendo, Valve president Gabe Newell has said that it "wasn't necessary" as he's okay with the storefront's current relationship with Activision over Call of Duty and Microsoft. "We're happy that Microsoft wants to continue using Steam to reach customers with Call of Duty when their Activision acquisition closes," he told Kotaku in a statement." Microsoft has been on Steam for a long time and we take it as a signal that they are happy with gamers' reception to that and the work we are doing. Our job is to keep building valuable features for not only Microsoft but all Steam customers and partners."

The CMA decision

In April 2023, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocked the deal in its home country, citing Microsoft's strength in cloud gaming. Microsoft has suggested that it might be forced to cease trading in the UK if the decision – which it is appealing – is upheld. 

The FTC Trial

In the final weeks of June, Microsoft went to trial against the US Federal Trade Commission's injunction against the closure of its deal. The trial aimed to determine whether the deal could be finalized before its July 18 deadline. Microsoft claimed that if it lost, it could potentially lead to years of litigation that might kill the merger.

Over the course of the trial, many senior figures, including PlayStation's Jim Ryan, Activision's Bobby Kotick, Xbox heads Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, were questioned, offering detailed information about the current state of the games industry. It's been hard to sift through that flood of info, but here are some of the standout headlines:

• Microsoft's CEO doesn't like console exclusives
•  The Last of Us Part 2 and Horizon Forbidden West both cost more than $200 million to develop 
• PlayStation boss claims publishers "do not like Game Pass" 
• Sony expected Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 to launch on PlayStation, but noted that the exclusivity isn't anti-competitive. 
• And it was potential PlayStation exclusivity for Starfield that kicked off Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda. 
• Microsoft thinks the PS6 and next Xbox will launch in 2028, and knows Xbox lost the console wars 

So, what happens next?

Whether Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard completes remains unknown. Microsoft will need to wait for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, European Commission, UK Competition and Markets Authority to complete its investigations, while there are ongoing legal challenges in various states in the United States which may need to be resolved. 

As it stands, Microsoft will continue to make its case, and everybody else will continue to argue their positions until the last. The deal is expected to close, one way or the other, by the end of Spring 2023. So we will of course keep you up to date on any new information as we receive it. 

Looking for more on the Xbox Activision deal? Here's our look into what Microsoft's latest acquisition could mean for Activision Blizzard and Xbox Game Studios.

Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry, so it makes sense that the most expensive video game acquisitions keep one-upping each other. Mergers and acquisitions are a key way that companies and studios grow not only their profit margins, but their player reach as well. More players means more money, which in turn ups the value of a company when selling itself off to another. 

One of the most prolific acquisitions today is Microsoft's bid to buy Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard, a move that has attracted scrutiny from regulatory bodies as they seek to block the Xbox Series X parent company. While there are certain Activision Blizzard franchises we want to see reborn at Xbox, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Here's a look at 10 of the most expensive video game acquisitions in the gaming biz, how they transpired, and what the companies look like today.

Biggest video game acquisitions at a glance

10 most expensive video game acquisitions

10. Facebook buys Oculus VR

Year of acquisition: 2014
Price: $2 billion

You might know the company now as Meta Platforms, but in the same year that Facebook acquired instant messaging service WhatsApp, they also bought Oculus VR. The Oculus gaming device was later rebranded, with the Meta Quest 2 still going strong today. Meta is committed to the concept of a metaverse, hence the very telling company name change, and harnessing VR technology is key to how they plan to actualize these concepts. With the newer rival PSVR 2 headset posing some fair competition, it's safe to say that VR isn't going anywhere just yet.

9. Electronic Arts buys Glu Mobile

Year of acquisition: 2021
Price: $2.4 billion

The Sims 4 publisher Electronic Arts purchased Glu Mobile, and with it brought the likes of MLB Tap Sports Baseball to the EA fold. Mobile gaming is one of the largest sectors in the industry, with China, India, and the USA accounting for the highest numbers of players in the world. Since acquiring Glu, EA's Mobile division has been booming, with over 69 million goals scored on EA Sports FIFA last year alone and a planned Lord of the Rings RPG currently in development for smartphone gamers. 

8. Microsoft buys Mojang

Year of acquisition: 2014
Price: $2.5 billion

Minecraft developer Mojang Studios was purchased by Microsoft in 2014, at the time one of the company's biggest acquisitions. Since Microsoft took ownership of the studio, Minecraft continues to be a chart-topping game – recording over 140 million active players in 2021 alone. Minecraft is able to achieve this as it continues to be available on PS4, PS5, PC, and Switch – as well as the Microsoft owned Xbox One and Xbox Series X. The franchise continues to grow, with Mojang collaborating with external studios for upcoming Xbox Series X games like Minecraft Legends. 

7. Sony buys Bungie

Year of acquisition: 2022
Price: $3.6 billion

When Sony bought out Destiny 2 developer Bungie, they acquired a lot more than a few games. The company could have bigger plans for the sprawling online multiplayer game, with Sony Productions, the cinematic branch of the company, already developing games-related films and TV shows. The most prolific of these in recent months is The Last Of Us, a show based on the post-apocalyptic survival horror game series that has brought the experience from consoles to international streaming services. Sony's merger with Bungie could point to exciting things for the future of not only its games, but the future of these games across the wider media.

6. ByteDance buys Moonton

Year of acquisition: 2021
Price: $4 billion

TikTok owners ByteDance bought games studio Moonton in a bid to expand and diversify its business. This put the company directly in competition with Chinese conglomerate Tencent, who also own Riot Games. Although Moonton doesn't necessarily produce some of the bigger ticket names in mobile gaming, it does extend the power of ByteDance further into the sector and will give them opportunities for growth as the company continues to expand. TikTok: The Game? It could come sooner than you think.

5. Activision Blizzard buys King

Year of acquisition: 2015
Price: $5.9 billion

When King released Candy Crush Saga in 2012, it became a global phenomenon – and is now considered to be one of the most financially successful of all time. So it didn't come as all that much of a surprise when one of the industry titans, Activision, made a record $5.9 billion acquisition offer for the company. The completion of this deal swelled Activision's presence in the mobile gaming market, a factor which would (a decade later) become a major factor behind Microsoft's decision to go after the publisher. 

4. Microsoft buys ZeniMax Media

Year of acquisition: 2020
Price: $8.1 billion

One of the most consequential acquisitions in the video game market in quite some time, Microsoft brought ZeniMax Media into the Xbox Game Studios fold in 2021. The $8.1 billion deal saw Xbox take control of ZeniMax and its vast library of IP; including franchises like Doom, Dishonored, Fallout, Prey, Quake, The Elder Scrolls, and Wolfenstein. With studios like Arkane, Bethesda, and MachineGames now exclusively developing games for the wider Xbox ecosystem, Microsoft's reputation with core players is steadily improving – so too is the strength of the Game Pass library. 

3. Tencent buys Supercell (majority shareholder)

Year of acquisition: 2016
Price: $8.6billion

Tencent is one of the three largest gaming companies by revenue these days, and that success can be partially attributed to smart investments across the industry. One such deal happened in 2016, when Tencent bought out over 81.4% of Supercell's shares for $8.6 billion. Such a massive fee was required to complete the purchase due to the ongoing success of Clash of Clans and its various spin-off titles – some of the largest games in the mobile gaming space. Tencent has retained its majority shareholder status in Supercell to this day. 

2. Take Two Interactive buys Zynga

Year of acquisition: 2022
Price: $12.7 billion

Take-Two Interactive has an enviable position in the video game industry, owing in large part to its ownership of 2K Games and Rockstar Games. But the company sought to improve its standing in the ever-expanding mobile games market, something it achieved in 2022 through the purchase of Zynga. The deal was worth $12.7 billion, thanks in no small part to the ongoing success and name-recognition of Farmville, as well as games like Zynga Poker, CSR Racing, Words with Friends 2, and plenty others. These games may not be as overtly visible as something like a GTA 6 or BioShock, but the Zynga portfolio is arguably just as important (if not more so) to Take-Two's ongoing success. 

1. Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard

Year of acquisition: Filed 2022; yet to be completed
Price: $68.7 billion

Here it is, the acquisition that set the internet on fire, earned the attention of the Federal Trade Commission, and has resulted in months of mud-slinging between Xbox and PlayStation representatives. In January 2022, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard King for $68.7 billion – a landmark deal which would bring the Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Diablo, Overwatch, World of Warcraft franchises (along with countless others) into the Xbox ecosystem. The deal is expected to close no later than June 2023, although its completion remains uncertain. 

Chinese megacorp Tencent has apparently scrapped plans to enter the VR market. 

Reuters reports that Tencent - which is the world's largest video game publisher in terms of revenue - is set to "cut costs and headcount" at its "extended reality" XR unit, which only launched last year. It currently employs around 300 people.

Anonymous sources suggest that the delay in hitting a profit - in this case, internal forecasting reckons Tencent's system would not be profitable until 2027 - and a lack of "promising games" has seen the company u-turn on its VR plans, despite designing a ring-like hand-held controller.

"Under the company's new strategy as a whole, it no longer quite fit in," one of the sources said.

With the cost of VR still pretty high, it's a shame we won't see Tencent bring its own system to light any time soon, as the more competition there is, the better the choice - and affordability - for players. 

Whilst Blizzard’s spat with its Chinese publisher NetEase continues, Tencent has announced a new MMO… and it certainly has fans talking about its similarities with WoW. 

As we've noticed in the recently released promotional material, Tarisland leans into fantasy, though WoW fans are zeroing in on the character and airship design alongside several choice shots from cinematics. Interestingly, fans have also clocked that one dragon looks a fair bit like Deathwing, and whilst the comparisons are chiefly aesthetic at the moment, some might also find the sight of dragon-riding familiar – including Blizzard itself, apparently. 

While it seems that Tarisland has taken some notes from World of Warcraft, others have noted that Blizzard’s MMO has borrowed plenty from D&D and beyond. 

Tarisland is currently undergoing a closed beta and is set to release on PC and mobile. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear if the MMO will make the journey west.

Keep up to date with all the best games set to launch later this year with our guide to new games 2023. 

Against the backdrop of Blizzard’s ongoing spat with its Chinese publisher NetEase hitting new heights in public, Tencent has announced a new MMO that has invited plenty of comparisons to World of Warcraft. 

As you’ll see from the promotional material released so far, Tarisland leans into fantasy, though WoW fans are zeroing in on the character and airship design alongside several choice shots from cinematics – it’s also been noted that one dragon looks a fair bit like Deathwing. The comparisons are mainly down to aesthetics, though some might also find the sight of dragon-riding familiar – mind you, that was in Guild Wars long before World of Warcraft. Regardless, it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Blizzard, either. 

While it seems that Tarisland has taken some notes from World of Warcraft, others have noted that Blizzard’s MMO didn’t invent most of its concepts and has borrowed plenty from D&D and beyond. You can see it for yourself in the trailer below.

The timing of Tarisland’s reveal is certainly fortuitous, with World of Warcraft due to shutdown in China due to Blizzard’s public fallout with publisher NetEase. Recently, Activision Blizzard reportedly claimed to offer NetEase a six-month extension to its contract, calling it a “pity” that the publisher turned it down. 

It was far from a light ‘no’, though, as NetEase then publicly tore down an Orc statue that signified its relationship with the developer, doing so publicly while offering a new beverage at its staff cafe called Blizzard Green Tea. As Bloomberg’s Zheping Huang explains on Twitter, the play on local slang is far from kind, referring to "a woman who presents herself as innocent and sweet in order to approach guys who she finds useful."

Tarisland is currently undergoing a closed beta and is set to release on PC and mobile. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear if the MMO will make the journey west.

Check out all the biggest releases of the year with our new games 2023 list.

Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden has joined Tencent Games as a strategic advisor. 

The Chinese-owned tech giant has been heavily investing in the games industry over the past few years, beginning in 2011 when it purchased a 93% stake in League of Legends developer Riot Games.

"In this new role, I hope to advise, assist, and support the team at Tencent as they deepen their activities and commitments within the industry to which I've devoted the majority of my career," Layden wrote on LinkedIn.

He added, "We are at an epoch defining moment in gaming and interactive entertainment. There are many possible roads ahead but only a few are profound, broadening, inclusive, edifying, inspiring, and/or sustainable. I am thrilled to continue this journey of discovery and thank Tencent for the opportunity."

Layden is a familiar face to PlayStation fans, having served as president and CEO of SIE America before becoming chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios in 2016 until he departed the company in 2019. He first joined Sony in 1996 as a producer on international software development and, in the following years, held numerous positions, including vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe beginning in 1999 and, eight years later, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan.

Earlier this month, it emerged that Tencent is investing €300 million ($297m USD) in Ubisoft. It's also increasing its direct stake in the company from 4.5%, which it acquired back in 2018, to 9.99%. Tencent, along with Sony, has also recently acquired an increased share in Elden Ring and Dark Souls developer FromSoftware. Sony now owns 14.09% of the studio, while Tencent has 16.25%.

Don't miss the biggest and best games coming to Sony's latest console with our upcoming PS5 games guide.

Amazon says it canceled its Lord of the Rings MMO because the involvement of Chinese tech giant Tencent complicated things too much.

When news of the Lord of the Rings MMO's cancelation broke in April of last year, Amazon only said that it had "been unable to secure terms to proceed" with the project following Tencent's acquisition of developer Leyou Technologies. So, we had reason to suspect it had something to do with the entertainment conglomerate being involved, but now we have confirmation.

In an interview with GameSpot, Amazon Games president Christoph Hartmann explained that the ill-fated Lord of the Rings project became "very complicated" after Tencent's buyout, and that's when Amazon decided it was best to walk.

One major roadblock was a clause written into Middle-earth Enterprises that allowed it to terminate the deal in the event of a partner acquisition, and when Tencent bought Leyou, the license-holder did exactly that. However, Hartmann said that negotiations continued for a while in an effort by the companies to work out a way forward for the MMO, but eventually Amazon called it quits.

"The question was, sure, maybe could have worked together with Tencent to do something, but I think we're too big as companies to really turn into partners doing a property together where they own the license and we develop the game," Hartmann said. "So we decided it's better to not work together there. Then we tried to figure something out with both ends, but I think it just dragged on too long."

Of course, Amazon Games did wind up launching its own original MMO, titled New World, and it's also the Western publisher for the top-down MMO Lost Ark. "I want to keep on investing in that. I know, it's not going to be Lord of the Rings, but we have our own fantasy; why not keep building on that," Hartmann said.

For what to play now, check out our ranking of the best MMOs in 2022.

Tencent is investing €300 million ($297m USD) in Ubisoft family holding company Guillemot Brothers Limited. The Chinese tech giant is also increasing its direct stake in the company from 4.5% to 9.99% amid rumors of a Ubisoft buyout.

The elaborate transaction also includes money Tencent is giving Guillemot Brothers Limited to refinance its debt and "provide additional financial resources that can be used to acquire equity in Ubisoft."

With its investment at $80 a share, Tencent has secured a 49.9% economic stake in Guillemot Brothers Limited, but the companies have made clear that this isn't a takeover. The Guillemot family will remain the sole owners of the Assassin's Creed maker, with Tencent now having 5% voting rights. 

This comes just a few months after reports surfaced claiming several private equity firms had expressed interest in buying Ubisoft outright. At the time, Ubisoft itself commented that the buyout rumors proved its "appeal and value," something Guillemot echoed in his statement on today's news.

"In a context where platforms and business models are converging, this transaction, which validates our strategy and highlights the strong intrinsic value of the assets we have built over the long term, is excellent news for our teams, gamers and shareholders," says Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. "Tencent is a key shareholder partner for many of the industry’s leaders, who have created some of the most outstanding video games. This transaction reinforces our ability to create strong value over the coming years."

"The team at Ubisoft has shown an impressive ability to consistently create world-class entertainment along with a diverse portfolio of brands that include some of the most successful franchises in the industry," says Tencent president Martin Lau. "We are excited to expand our engagement with the founders, the Guillemot family, as Ubisoft continues to develop immersive game experiences, and to bring some of Ubisoft’s most well-known AAA franchises to mobile. This agreement also aligns with our philosophy to invest alongside creative founders with full confidence that they will lead their companies to new heights."

Included in the deal are terms that say Tencent can't further increase its Ubisoft stake for eight years and can't sell its shares for five years. And if it does end up selling shares, it'll give the Guillemot family the chance to buy them back first.

For everything on the horizon across consoles and PC, check out our guide to new games of 2022.

Sony and Chinese publishing giant Tencent are both set to increase their stake in Elden Ring and Dark Souls developer FromSoftware.

In an announcement this morning, FromSoft parent company Kadokawa Corporation - which remains the majority owner of the developer - confirmed that Sony now owns 14.09% of FromSoftware. Tencent - arguably best known in the West as the company behind League of Legends developer Riot Games - now owns 16.25% of the studio.

Kadokawa Corporation says that the aim of the sale is to "proactively invest in development of more powerful game UP [...] to strengthen FromSoftware's development capabilities." It also mentions Tencent's "strength in its capabilities to develop and deploy mobile games and other network technologies in the global market," implying that FromSoft could be looking into mobile gaming in some capacity.

While none of the companies involved in the sale have mentioned specific plans, fans have their own wishlist. 'Bloodborne' has begun trending on Twitter as desire for a Bloodborne sequel continues to grow. Beyond that, attention is likely to turn to Elden Ring - as well as hopes for upcoming Elden Ring DLC, FromSoftware and publisher Bandai Namco have discussed their desire for the title to act as the start of a new franchise. While the future of Elden Ring seems in a better space than its more gothic older brother, it's far from clear at this point what we can expect from the deal, and Kadokawa Corporation suggests that the deal's impact on its 2023 financial results is likely to be "minor."

This list of new games 2022 should prove a more reliable wishlist.

Tencent is reportedly preparing to purchase a majority stake in Ubisoft.

According to anonymous sources cited by Reuters, the Chinese gaming conglomerate is planning to raise its stake in the Canadian developer and publisher. It's not actually clear how much of Ubisoft Tencent plans to purchase, but the report makes it clear the goal is to become the single largest stakeholder in Ubisoft, and Tencent has actually reached out to Ubisoft expressing its intent.

This would effectively wrestle control away from the Guillemot family, who has always owned Ubisoft, with CEO Yves Guillemot leading the developer. Currently, the Guillemot is the largest stakeholder in Ubisoft at 15% of the company owned, and Tencent sits at 5%, a stake it purchased back in 2018.

The Guillemot family has typically fought against takeovers of Ubisoft over the past few years in particular. When asked in a press conference about a potential acquisition of Ubisoft by a larger company back in February 2022, Yves Guillemot said the company "can remain independent," but would consider acquisition offers, dancing around the matter.

A few months later in April, a report actually claimed Ubisoft was being courted for acquisition by a private equity firm. At the time, the report claimed that private companies including Blackstone Inc. and KKR & Co. were actively discussing acquiring Ubisoft, and several current and former developers at the latter company believed it would eventually be sold.

Months on, and we've heard nothing of these talks with the private equity firms. It could be that talks between the parties have broken down, or that Ubisoft has decided on another path, one potentially involving Tencent. As always, we'll have to wait a while longer to see who, if anyone, wrestles control of Ubisoft away from the Guillemot family.

Head over to our new games 2022 guide for a full list of all the Ubisoft games launching over the remainder of the year. 

Alan Wake 2 and Control developer Remedy has partnered with Tencent to publish and localize its upcoming free-to-play title, Vanguard, in Asian markets. 

According to the agreement between the two companies, Remedy will handle global publishing outside of Asia along with the game's development, of course. It also reveals the game is being built with the Unreal Engine for "PC and console platforms" and Tencent will be "co-financing" Vanguard alongside Remedy, which reportedly boasts a "AAA game budget". 

The Chinese megacorp has also acquired worldwide rights to developing and publishing a mobile version of the new game, too.

“Vanguard marks Remedy’s first entry into Games-as-a-Service business model, executed by our top tier team of free-to-play experts," explains Remedy Entertainment CEO, Tero Virtala. "We are building something new and exciting for co-operative multiplayer space, on top of Remedy’s strengths. Expanding our capabilities to take on publishing responsibilities is the next step in the development of our company. 

"We are excited for this long-term partnership with Tencent and with confidence can say that it is an excellent fit in supporting Vanguard’s ambitious plans. Vanguard is a global opportunity, and Tencent can support Remedy internationally, and lead the operations in Asia and the mobile markets."

Interestingly enough, the agreement says the game is "codenamed" Vanguard – which differs from what we've previously thought – and will remain "Remedy’s original intellectual property". Described as a free-to-play, co-operative PvE shooter, the new title will combine "Remedy’s narrative expertise and action gameplay into an immersive multiplayer experience" and is currently in the "proof-of-concept" phase.

ICYMI yes, Remedy's other hotly-anticipated title, Alan Wake 2, will indeed be keeping its third-person perspective, as well as bringing back Matthew Porretta to portray the titular character. The sequel was revealed at The Game Awards 2021 earlier this month, but unlike the original game, this sequel is reportedly going full survival horror.

Remedy Games studio head and writer/director Sam Lake tweeted at the time: "Thank you for being as excited about Alan Wake 2 as we are. A couple of easy clarifications before we go dark to continue the work. Yes, this is a third-person game. Yes, both Ilkka Villi and Matthew Porretta return in the role of Alan Wake."

Check out our Alan Wake 2 story theories feature for more on what to expect from Remedy's upcoming game.

Today, Activision Blizzard announced a landmark partnership with Chinese publisher Tencent that will bring Call of Duty Online to Chinese shores. The deal opens the door for Acti-Blizz to bring the upcoming microtransaction-based shooter to an enromous new audience of tens of millions of Chinese gamers.

CoD fans will notice that much of this content is based on multiplayer levels and weapons that were already featured in the last five games from Modern Warfare 1 onward. So try not to be too sad that this isn't coming to America, you're not missing much.

Call of Duty Online is currently only planned for release in China, but you can expect that to change if the service does well over there. Frankly, we'd be pretty shocked if Acti-Blizz doesn't announce a microtransaction-supported CoD within the next two years.