Although the company has definitely been a source of controversy over the last few years, Tencent continues to be a big name in the gaming scene, investing large amounts of money in several significant studios. Recently, it invested a significant sum into Don't Starve developer Klei Entertainment, bringing that under the umbrella of studios it currently holds a stake in.
Today, it once again invested in a notable gaming studio, acquiring a minority stake in Life is Strange developer Dontnod Entertainment. The sum reportedly came to $36 million, and it seems Tencent invested the money to help support a new IP the game developer is looking to launch in the coming years.
"We are delighted to welcome Tencent as a Dontnod investor," Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Oskar Guilbert said in a press release regarding the new investment. Talking about what the money will help Dontnod achieve, Guilbert revealed that the team will be aiming to "capture more value from our original creations by self-publishing more games." The team has released several titles in previous years, including Life is Strange, Life is Strange 2, Tell Me Why, Vampyr, and Twin Mirror. It'll be intriguing to see what its new IP will be, although history would suggest it will be a story-focused adventure in the same vein as its prior projects.
Tencent has slowly but surely been building its way into becoming a dominant force in the gaming industry for years now, acquiring large companies such as League of Legends developer Riot Games and Warframe creators Studio Leyou. It's also invested in a variety of seminal industry names, including Epic Games, PUBG Corporation, and Clash of Clans developer, Supercell. It seems it's a permanent fixture in modern gaming, despite being a controversial name due to its divisive attitude towards data privacy.
As for Dontnod Entertainment, it seems the studio will continue to operate as usual, with Tencent only offering a small investment in the company. As for what it's currently working on, it seems the developer's next big project is Cendres, a choose-your-own-adventure survival game that will hit PC later this year. It's allegedly set 200 years after the end of the world and sees players have to escort a party of survivors to safety while making brutal decisions that will impact how their story plays out. The game is depicted entirely in black and white, with the trailer showcasing the player allocating food between party members, exploring desolate environments, and selecting between morally ambiguous choices.
Source: Dontnod