Denny |
December 15, 2015
The tech giant from China is taking aim at gamers and doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon.
Tencent Holdings Ltd. has already grabbed hold of the top spot when it comes to being the leader in the mobile games category in China, but now it is stepping outside its home borders and is aiming to lead the way throughout other marketplaces, as well.
The company intends to start exporting games made in China into the United States and other markets.
In order to accomplish this goal, Tencent is working with San Francisco mobile games publisher, Glu Mobile Inc. Back in April, Tencent purchased a considerable stake in that company and they will now be working together to bring “WeFire”, Tencent’s most successful shooting game app, into the United States as well as other Western countries in 2016. Another one of its games – though the name has not yet been revealed – will be taken into the Japanese market next year by way of Aiming Inc., a local mobile game publisher.
Should Tencent be successful in taking its mobile games into other countries, this could change the entire marketplace.
This will also provide Tencent with a powerful new avenue of growth as the current global mobile gaming marketplace is currently expected to grow to about $30.1 billion this year. That would mean that the figure would nearly have doubled since 2013, when it had been $17.6 billion. This, according to Newzoo research firm statistics.
The WeFire game app from Tencent is currently the most successful shooting game in China. Now it will be brought to the U.S. and other countries in order to go up against the top games in those markets. When a top grossing game reaches a leading spot in a specific market, it can bring in over $1 billion in revenue. However, when it becomes a global sensation, that figure can rise to $3 billion or even $4 billion, said the chief exec of the Kabam Inc. U.S. mobile game company, Kevin Chou.
That company intends to step into the mobile games market in China, next year. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, a massive rival to Tencent, has a minority stake in Kabam.
S2 Games founds iGames to focus on mobile gaming
S2 Games, a U.S. game developer with a strong presence in the online gaming space, has been bulking up to prepare for its entry into the mobile gaming sector. Earlier this month, S2 Games launched iGames, a wholly-owned subsidiary that is entirely devoted to the design and production of mobile games. The company has been hiring new talent to make a strong entry into the mobile gaming space, hoping to etch out its own niche in the sector and cater to its fans that have long been tethered to mobile devices.
Developer continues to win acclaim with flagship game
S2 Games is most well known for its Heroes of Newerth title. The game was released in 2010 and has since become a major success with gamers in the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre. While Heroes of Newerth is sometimes criticized as being almost a carbon copy of its predecessor (DOTA), it remains one of the most well-loved titles in the online gaming space. Because of the success of Heroes of Newerth, S2 Games has remained focus on the title for the past two years, so it is unclear exactly what the developer plans in terms of mobile gaming.
iGames looking for new, highly talented employees
iGames may be working on a way to bring Heroes of Newerth to mobile devices, or the company may be developing an entirely new title to meet the needs of mobile gamers. S2 Games has not yet announced any concrete plans for mobile gaming, apart from establishing a development studio devoted to that sector. The company is currently hiring mobile content managers, an assistant director of mobile games, a mobile game designer, and mobile game UI developer, among others.
S2 Games prepares to compete with other developers in the mobile realm
Mobile gaming has becoming a powerful force in the game industry, as it represents an extremely lucrative market. Several development studios are making moves to enter the mobile gaming space, with S2 Games being one of the latest to do so. These companies, which have traditionally focused on static platforms such as PCs and consoles, will have to compete with companies that have already established a strong presence in the mobile gaming space.
