In the latest whispers circulating the gaming world, it’s been hinted that Chinese tech giant Tencent might be in the works of developing a mobile rendition of FromSoftware’s acclaimed RPG, Elden Ring.
Ever since the game’s launch in 2022, Tencent has gradually increased its stake in FromSoftware, now holding a hefty 16.25% share in the company. While Tencent’s portfolio spans across various media realms like comics, films, and music, a substantial 30% of its revenue reportedly stems from the gaming sector.
Notably, Tencent boasts five in-house game studios along with numerous overseas subsidiaries and investments, including big names like Ubisoft, Riot Games, Remedy Entertainment, and Techland, the creators of Dying Light.
Meanwhile, despite Elden Ring’s initial surge in popularity a couple of years back, FromSoftware has been diligently crafting its next RPG installment. Elden Ring recently received its first update of 2024, albeit a minor one focusing on an anti-cheat tweak for the Steam version,
which might not pique the interest of many players. Fans have eagerly awaited news regarding the game’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, announced in February 2023, for fresh content updates.
However, the latest buzz surrounding Elden Ring might not be what enthusiasts anticipated. According to reports from Reuters, Tencent is allegedly venturing into developing a mobile adaptation of the beloved RPG. With licensing rights secured in 2022, a dedicated team of developers, numbering a few dozen, is said to be already toiling away on a prototype for the mobile version. It’s rumored that Tencent draws inspiration from the success of HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact, a free-to-play gacha game renowned for its lucrative in-app purchases.
So far, neither Tencent nor FromSoftware has officially addressed these Elden Ring mobile game speculations.
Yet, Tencent might encounter significant hurdles ahead. Unlike Genshin Impact, Elden Ring was designed as a one-time purchase game, aiming to deliver a complete gaming experience without recurring payments.
The prospect of dividing Elden Ring’s content behind paywalls remains uncertain, posing a potential challenge for Tencent. This predicament echoes a recent setback where Tencent shelved an undisclosed mobile game within the NieR franchise due to escalating development costs and monetization concerns.
It seems that despite Tencent’s access to a plethora of PC and console hits through its investments, translating this access into a mobile gaming cash cow proves more challenging than anticipated—for now.