Screenshot: Bandai NamcoThe mobile gaming market has seen a surge in the adaptation of popular titles like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding. Now, there are reports suggesting that Elden Ring, the highly-acclaimed 2022 open-world RPG from FromSoftware, may soon join the mobile gaming realm. According to a recent Reuters report, three sources have indicated that Tencent Holdings is in the process of developing a mobile version of Elden Ring. Kotaku has reached out to Tencent for a statement regarding this. The report by Josh Ye from Reuters highlights that Tencent acquired the rights to Elden Ring in 2022 and has since initiated the development of the mobile version with a small team. However, progress on the project appears to be sluggish. This is believed to be due to a clash between the design of Elden Ring and Tencent’s goals for the game’s quality. Elden Ring was originally designed as a standalone purchase, but sources mentioned in the report indicate that Tencent intends to adopt a similar monetization strategy to Genshin Impact, a free-to-play game that generates substantial revenue through in-app purchases. Tencent, widely recognized as one of the largest gaming companies globally, has a diverse portfolio that includes Riot Games, Epic Games, Ubisoft, and Activision Blizzard. The news of their endeavor to bring Elden Ring to mobile follows reports of the cancellation of a mobile game based on the NieR franchise in December 2023. Tencent appears to be facing challenges in finding its next successful gaming venture. In a speech at the end of January, Tencent CEO Pony Ma acknowledged, “We have found that we have failed, while our competitors continue to innovate, leaving us feeling as if we have not gained anything.”
