Tencent Holdings is negotiating exits from investments in several Japanese video game developers, including Marvelous, the studio behind Monster Hunter Stories and Rune Factory.
According to Bloomberg sources, the Chinese conglomerate is reassessing its portfolio amid an industry economic slump. It is considering selling some stakes back to original management, in certain cases at a loss.
Marvelous, where Tencent acquired a stake in 2020, is among the companies involved in these talks. Other Tencent-backed studios such as PlatinumGames and FromSoftware are not part of the negotiations.
Tencent has shifted focus toward co-development ventures abroad, including the creation of Vantage Studios with Ubisoft last year. The company continues partnerships in casual gaming, such as with Roblox in China.
The outcome for affected Japanese developers remains unclear as the traditional game market faces ongoing challenges.