Joystiq.com just freezes out many gamer out there publishing a news about the acquisition of a great slice of shares by a giant of the Chinese market:
Back in June, Chinese company Tencent Holdings purchased a minority stake in Epic Games, but it turns out that stake is substantial. Tencent snatched up 48.4% of Epic Games shares last year – that comes to around $330 million invested – and even has the right to nominate individuals to Epic Games’ board of directors.
“Since the Group has the right to nominate directors to the board of Epic Games, Epic Games is accounted for as an associate of the Group.” This is all laid out in Tencent Holdings’ 2012 financial report, available as a pdf document through the source link below. Epic Games was the second US gaming investment from the Chinese outfit following its acquisition of Riot Games in 2011.
Following Tencent’s purchase of Epic shares, Epic Games announced it had founded a new studio in Baltimore, saving some Big Huge Games folks from the collapse of 38 Studios to work on Infinity Blade: Dungeons – only for Epic to eventually shutter the studio in February of this year.
Source: joystiq.com
So it’s now a fact that the Chinese company Tencent is now part of the Coalition of Ordered Governments and a member of Epic Games board of directors. But what about this company?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tencent_Holdings
http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/18/how-tencents-walled-user-list-ended-up-boosting-its-userbase/
What are the feelings of the Chinese fans about this financial operation? We have found one that wrote his opinion as follows:
We are talking about this here in China too. Tencent is like Facebook of China. Most of the Chinese ppl who have access to internet are using their products. So it IS a GIANT here.
I found many Unreal/UE fans/users here are not quite like the fact that Tencent have got about half of Epic shares. Or lets say we are worried too. We hope Epic to stays as the one we are familiar with. The one that makes great gaming technology and awesome hardcore shooters. But with Tencent involved, we don’t know if that’s a sign of changing in the future.
Why are we worried? Simply because Tencent is so BIG. It has the dominating position and money to do things as it wish.
I can only hope Epic keeps doing what they are good at. And don’t forget Unreal coz we are waiting here.Slowman, those Chinese elements in UT3 are not typically Chinese, they are more like Japanese. As for samurais stuff, it is totally Japanese. Ancient Chinese warriors didn’t wear those weird helmet with two horns on it, not to mention sword like that.
Author: chonglee
Source: EpicGames Forum
Stay tuned, let’s see what happens
