European mobile and web game publisher Miniclip has netted a strategic investment from Chinese game giant Tencent, reports VentureBeat. While terms of the deal have not been disclosed, the two companies are already talking up their plans to collaborate.
“To say that we are excited about having Tencent as a majority investor in Miniclip would be an understatement,” Miniclip CEO Robert Small told VentureBeat. Last year Tencent took the crown as the highest-grossing public game company in the world.
Mobile investment deals (with a global focus) have been a feature of 2015 so far, and this one is notable — as the biggest Chinese game company and internet portal invests in a European company which has published top-grossing mobile titles like 8 Ball Pool.
Currently, developers can work with Miniclip to publish their games. It’s unclear if this will offer Miniclip-affiliated developers a roadmap to having their games localized for the Chinese market, but it sounds like it: “Miniclip has a strong track record in developing hit titles with long life span and universal appeal. We look forward to collaborating with Miniclip to deliver more exciting and enjoyable game experiences to fans worldwide,” Tencent senior vice president Steven Ma said.
Tencent’s WeChat app is a very popular way for mobile players to find games, in a market which is notoriously fragmented and difficult to enter. Late last year, the company also invested $10 million in New York mobile studio Playdots.