Tencent Wants to Build the Next Larian or FromSoftware

Ever dreamed of working on a game as legendary as Baldur's Gate 3 or Elden Ring? Tencent sure hopes so — and it's looking for the next studio to pull it off.

In a recent chat with The Game Business, Tencent Games VP Yong-yi Zhu laid out the company's vision: find developers with unique visions and stick with them for the long haul. "We love to work with developers that are trying to hone their craft," Zhu said. The goal? To create the next Larian or FromSoftware — studios capable of delivering year-defining hits.

Tencent already has a piece of both pies. It owns minority but significant shares in Larian and in Kadokawa, FromSoftware's parent company. Last year, Tencent even increased its stake in Kadokawa, years after it and Sony upped their ownership of FromSoftware itself. So it's not just talk — Tencent is putting money where its mouth is.

But Zhu stresses it's not about quick wins. "It wasn't an overnight success," he says, pointing to Larian's journey from Divinity to Baldur's Gate 3, and FromSoftware's evolution from Demon's Souls to Dark Souls to Bloodborne to Elden Ring. "We do have a long-game approach." That means backing studios that might need two or three games to become category leaders.

Part of Tencent's strategy is its focus on evergreen live service titles, which Zhu says provides insulation against the industry's ups and downs. The company also scales down teams during risky pre-production phases to minimize risk — a tactic more studios are adopting.

Of course, Tencent isn't immune to the industry's turmoil. It has reportedly backed out of multiple studio deals this year and closed TiMi Montreal before it released a game. Still, Zhu remains optimistic that with patience and the right talent, Tencent can nurture the next generation of mega-hits.

So, what do you think? Can Tencent really find the next Larian or FromSoftware, or is that lightning in a bottle? Let us know in the comments!