Riot, Tencent negotiating a mobile version for League of Legends New potential markets in Asia to be tapped into East Asia more mobile-friendly
Tencent and the company’sU.S. offshoot, Riot Games, are reportedly in talks to create a mobileversion for the popular MOBA esports game “League of Legends,”Reuters sources have revealed.
Tencent andRiot Negotiate a Mobile Future for League of Legends
Tencent and Riothave long been at crossroads as to where the development of thepopular massive ba lg777 ttle arena title, “League of Legends”should take them. Tencent has repeatedly insisted that Riot shouldconsider releasing the game on mobile, the fastest-growing gamingplatform in the world.
If the game Riot has been working on is just a mobile version of #LoL I will be massively disappointed. I’m sure it’ll have players, but I feel like there are better directions to go.https://t.co/pK8R4ROw4V
— Snoot Spirit (@Dye_SayReigh) May 22, 2019
Riot has turned down thesuggestion. This may be changing now with Reuters reporting on apossible progress in negotiations. Tencent and Riot may finally be intalks about the future of League of Legends, which would involve amobile version. This is good news for Riotfor several reasons:
Mobile platforms have the highest monetization Southeast Asia is an emerging esports hub with a hunger for new games Riot & Tencent can consolidate their hold on an emerging sector
With competition growing in mobile esports gaming Tencent has already demonstrated its ability to create well-received titles for mobile, meaning “Honor of Kings” released in 2015. The title has grossed over $4 billion to date since it was released and it remains one of the flagship mobile titles. Tencent’s mobile sensation is also the world’s highest grossing mobile game, at least for 2018.
In fact, it could be arguedthat Honor of Kings is unrivalled insofar as mobile gaming goes withmillions enjoying the title in its native China.
The East and the West Are Split
Mobile gaming hasn’t managedto pick up in the West, and specifically in the United States. Eventhough Arena of Valor, Clash of Clans and ClashRoyale all made their mark on the gaming industry in Europe andthe U.S., nothing significant has come of it.
At least not when comparing to the dimensions that mobile segments enjoy in East Asia. One of the most exciting markets to this moment remains Southeast Asia with countries like Malaysia and the Philippines are really shaping up as strong esports hubs.
Other than that, Japan hasrecently changed its laws to accommodate esports athletes and helpthe country’s esports talents excel on an international scene. WithAsia and China slowly shaping themselves as strong competitors to theWestern esports scene, Riot is finally seeing a point in tapping intothe eye-watering potential of the East.
