Tencent has made another move in reinforcing its position in the Western video game industry, this time acquiring "a major stake" in Swedish developer 10 Chambers Collective. The latter is known for its cooperative survival horror first-person shooter GTFO, which has received a steady following from fans and critics alike. The game puts players in the shoes of prisoners sent deep underground to fulfill various tasks against hordes of monstrous creatures of unknown origin.
While the exact size and value of Tencent's investment were not disclosed, the Chinese conglomerate's considerable resources should give 10 Chambers Collective the final push towards fully releasing GTFO, which has been in Steam Early Access since December 9th, 2019. The Swedish developer is staffed by former Overkill Software employees who worked on the Payday series.
In a press release, the co-founder and creative director of 10 Chambers, Ulf Andersson, stated that the studio's long-term goals would require "more muscle" to achieve, with Tencent not only providing that, but also the "creative freedom to reach these new heights." The studio is currently working on the next major update to the game, which will add new maps, scenarios, and enemies.
This recent move by Tencent adds to their wide portfolio, which includes full ownership of League of Legends and Valorant developer Riot Games, partial ownership of Fortnite creators Epic Games, and even a partnership with Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona. The Shenzhen, China-based company is the largest video game vendor in the world, with products in other industries including social media, television, film, and even urban development in the form of Net City, a real estate project the size of Monaco that will include corporate offices, a school, apartments, and retail space.
Though Tencent's investments in larger video game studios like Riot Games and Epic Games are the most well-known, its investments in smaller companies such as 10 Chambers Collective is indicative of its goal to target every possible demographic in the industry. The Chinese corporation has made moves in the indie and the AA games scene with investments in Spec Ops: The Line developer Yager and System Shock 3 maker OtherSide Entertainment.
Tencent has faced scrutiny from several governments including the American and Indian administrations following President Donald Trump signing an executive order banning TikTok and WeChat as part of the ongoing China-US trade war and India banning PUBG Mobile following the escalation of tensions at the Sino-Indian border. In the meantime, the rest of its video game investments should be safe from government intervention though there are calls from the Trump administration to investigate its data in Epic Games and Riot Games.
GTFO is available on PC through Steam Early Access. A full release schedule is yet to be decided.
Source: 10 Chambers Collective