Tencent, a leading Chinese multimedia company, is reportedly developing a mobile version of FromSoftware’s acclaimed 2022 title, Elden Ring. This is apparently Tencent’s attempt to leverage its acquisition of a significant stake in FromSoftware as it seeks to expand its gaming portfolio.
According to Reuters, the mobile adaptation of Elden Ring is a free-to-play game, a model Tencent has successfully implemented with other major game IPs like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile. However, the transition of Elden Ring from an award-winning and premium, single-player experience to a mobile, free-to-play format presents unique challenges, reflecting broader trends and pressures within the gaming industry.
Tencent’s involvement in mobile game development has been quite ambitious, including the adaptations of Need for Speed and Assassin’s Creed. However, not all of its endeavors have been successful. For example, it shut down a mobile version of Apex Legends and canceled a project based on the Nier franchise over monetization concerns. These cases highlight the complexities of adapting detailed, story-rich games to the mobile format, especially when incorporating free-to-play elements.
The development of Elden Ring for mobile platforms is described as slow, partly due to the challenges of reconciling the game’s intricate design with a free-to-play, in-app purchase model. Tencent aims to emulate the success of Genshin Impact, a popular gacha game, but Elden Ring’s structure as a single-player, premium action RPG poses significant adaptation hurdles.
Tencent appears to be feeling the pressure from its rivals, MiHoYo and NetEase, who have found significant avenues for growth while it struggles to keep up.
Nevertheless, Tencent’s strategic acquisitions and partnerships in recent years, similar to its stake in FromSoftware and licensing rights for Elden Ring, reflect a broader ambition for a wider game library and tap into the success of globally acclaimed titles. The mobile gaming market, particularly in Asia, has shown a robust appetite for free-to-play models, making Tencent’s project potentially lucrative, albeit fraught with challenges related to game design and monetization.
The development of a mobile version of Elden Ring also comes at a time when the original game continues to captivate audiences worldwide, with sales surpassing 20 million copies and anticipation building for the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The decision to adapt Elden Ring for mobile platforms can be seen as part of Tencent’s larger effort to innovate within its gaming division, leveraging artificial intelligence and other technologies to enhance efficiency and game development processes.
Despite the potential for significant rewards, Tencent’s venture into mobile adaptations of established console and PC titles faces skepticism. The essence of Elden Ring, celebrated for its deep narrative, expansive world, and challenging gameplay, may prove near impossible to translate into a format dominated by microtransactions and the Gacha system. Moreover, Tencent’s recent cancellations of other mobile projects signal the financial and creative risks involved in such adaptations.
Given the rumors about an incoming announcement related to Elden Ring’s upcoming DLC, we might get confirmation of this project sooner rather than later.
