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21世纪经济报道·2025-11-27 12:07

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ongoing negotiations between Savvy Games Group and ByteDance regarding the potential acquisition of Shanghai Mutong Technology, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the deal and the performance of Mutong's gaming portfolio [1][4]. Group 1: Company Overview - Mutong Technology, established in 2014, is one of the early Chinese companies to expand mobile gaming overseas, with its flagship product, "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang," generating over $2 billion (approximately 14.5 billion RMB) in cumulative global revenue [1][4]. - ByteDance acquired Mutong Technology in March 2021 for about $4 billion (approximately 29 billion RMB) to leverage its overseas distribution capabilities and expand into the heavy gaming market [3]. Group 2: Performance and Challenges - Despite the success of "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang" in Southeast Asia, ByteDance's gaming business has not performed as expected, particularly in the European and American markets, where the game has struggled to break into the top 100 on iOS sales charts [3]. - New titles from Mutong, such as "Winding Up the Total War," have not replicated the success of "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang," indicating challenges in maintaining growth [3]. Group 3: Market Context and Strategic Moves - The rumors of Mutong's sale align with ByteDance's broader strategy, as the company underwent significant restructuring of its gaming division in November 2023, with previous reports suggesting a potential independent listing for Mutong [4]. - Savvy Games Group, founded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2021, aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a hub for esports and gaming, having made substantial investments in the global gaming industry, including a $55 billion acquisition of EA [4].