Tencent, a leading name in the gaming industry, is reportedly developing a mobile version of the popular game Elden Ring. This project, which began in 2022, involves a small team but has been progressing slowly, according to sources from Reuters.

The game is expected to be free-to-play with microtransactions. However, integrating this monetization model with Elden Ring’s premium design has proven challenging.

The project started shortly after Tencent acquired a 16% stake in FromSoftware in August 2022, making it the second-largest shareholder after Kadokawa Corporation.

This development comes on the heels of a report detailing the cancellation of a Nier-based game, which faced similar challenges. Tencent has been securing licenses for well-known games for mobile adaptation for years.

However, the terms of these deals, which were favorable to the IP owners, now pose monetization difficulties for Tencent.

The president of Tencent recently expressed concerns about the performance of the company’s gaming division. This new venture into mobile gaming with Elden Ring could be a strategic move to bolster its position in the market.

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Elden Ring has been a groundbreaking game, elevating the Souls formula beyond mere difficulty and combat, transforming it into something extraordinary.

As Tencent ventures into this new territory, how it will navigate these challenges and what the final product will look like remain to be seen.