Riot and Tencent Possibly Launching LoL in Mobile

• Riot, Tencent negotiating a mobile version for League of Legends
• New potential markets in Asia to be tapped into
• East Asia more mobile-friendly

Tencent and the company’s U.S. offshoot, Riot Games, are reportedly in talks to create a mobile version for the popular MOBA esports game “League of Legends,” Reuters sources have revealed.

Tencent and Riot Negotiate a Mobile Future for League of Legends

Tencent and Riot have long been at crossroads as to where the development of the popular massive battle arena title, “League of Legends” should take them. Tencent has repeatedly insisted that Riot should consider releasing the game on mobile, the fastest-growing gaming platform in the world.

If the game Riot has been working on is just a mobile version of #LoL I will be massively disappointed. I’m sure it’ll have players, but I feel like there are better directions to go.https://t.co/pK8R4ROw4V

— Snoot Spirit (@Dye_SayReigh) May 22, 2019

Riot has turned down the suggestion. This may be changing now with Reuters reporting on a possible progress in negotiations. Tencent and Riot may finally be in talks about the future of League of Legends, which would involve a mobile version. This is good news for Riot for several reasons:

• Mobile platforms have the highest monetization
• Southeast Asia is an emerging esports hub with a hunger for new games
• Riot & Tencent can consolidate their hold on an emerging sector

With competition growing in mobile esports gaming Tencent has already demonstrated its ability to create well-received titles for mobile, meaning “Honor of Kings” released in 2015. The title has grossed over $4 billion to date since it was released and it remains one of the flagship mobile titles. Tencent’s mobile sensation is also the world’s highest grossing mobile game, at least for 2018.

In fact, it could be argued that Honor of Kings is unrivalled insofar as mobile gaming goes with millions enjoying the title in its native China.

The East and the West Are Split

Mobile gaming hasn’t managed to pick up in the West, and specifically in the United States. Even though Arena of Valor, Clash of Clans and Clash Royale all made their mark on the gaming industry in Europe and the U.S., nothing significant has come of it.

At least not when comparing to the dimensions that mobile segments enjoy in East Asia. One of the most exciting markets to this moment remains Southeast Asia with countries like Malaysia and the Philippines are really shaping up as strong esports hubs.

Other than that, Japan has recently changed its laws to accommodate esports athletes and help the country’s esports talents excel on an international scene. With Asia and China slowly shaping themselves as strong competitors to the Western esports scene, Riot is finally seeing a point in tapping into the eye-watering potential of the East.