Several Tencent employees shared photos revealing that FromSoftware President and Elden Ring producer Hidetaka Miyazaki visited Tencent’s game studio in Shenzhen yesterday.
Last February, a Reuters report suggested Tencent is developing a mobile version of Elden Ring, an open-world action RPG (role-playing game) by FromSoftware, known for challenging combat, deep lore, and an expansive world designed by Hidetaka Miyazaki in consultation with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.
Why it matters: Hidetaka Miyazaki’s recent visit to Tencent’s Shenzhen offices has drawn significant attention in the gaming industry. The visit is linked to Tencent’s recent move to increase its stake in Kadokawa Corporation, FromSoftware’s parent company.
Details: On Tuesday, Hidetaka Miyazaki was spotted at Tencent’s office building in Shenzhen, according to online sources. Photos from the scene show him carrying a colorful backpack and looking relaxed, though details of the visit have not been disclosed.
- Tencent has raised its stake in Japan’s Kadokawa by 1.11%, increasing its holding to 7.97%, Japanese media outlet Nikkei reported on Monday. This makes Tencent Kadokawa’s second-largest shareholder after Sony which holds 10%.
- Tencent’s increased stake in Kadokawa could provide professional support for the release and localization of FromSoftware’s future titles in the Chinese market, while also advancing its global strategy across consoles (PC, Xbox, and PlayStation) and mobile platforms, a game industry analyst told TechNode.
- On Chinese social platform Weibo, some Chinese gamers express caution about Tencent’s involvement in adapting Elden Ring, fearing that a mobile version could undermine the original gaming experience. Currently, neither Tencent nor FromSoftware has released an official statement on the visit, and details of their potential collaboration titles remain undisclosed.
Context: Hidetaka Miyazaki has been president of FromSoftware since 2014 and is a renowned game director known for creating the Souls series, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring. Notably, Sekiro (2019) and Elden Ring (2022) won Game of the Year at The Game Awards (TGA) in their respective years.
- Elden Ring has sold 28.6 million by December 2024, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time, according to Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco.
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