It looks like ByteDance is once again considering a big sale move. According to fresh reports, the TikTok parent company has reopened talks to sell MOONTON Games, the studio behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and the potential buyer on the table is Savvy Games Group from Saudi Arabia.
As Bloomberg reports, the discussions are active but far from guaranteed. ByteDance first acquired MOONTON Games in 2021 at around a $4 billion valuation, hoping to strengthen its gaming division. But over the last two years, ByteDance have pulled back from gaming, alongside studio closures and job cuts.
Savvy Games, on the other hand, is part of Saudi Arabia’s long-term plan to build a global gaming hub. They are backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the same group that recently teamed up with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners to pursue a massive $55 billion deal for Electronic Arts. So their interest in MOONTON fits right into their aggressive expansion strategy.
Back in November 2023, reports began spreading that ByteDance was considering selling MOONTON Games. The studio quickly dismissed the rumors, and CEO Justin Yuan reassured the team internally that the MLBB developer would continue operating independently.
In January next year, the situation evolved when ByteDance officially confirmed that it was in discussions with potential buyers, including Tencent and a few others, about selling parts of its gaming division. This marked the first clear sign that ByteDance was no longer treating gaming as one of its long-term priorities.
By May 2024, MOONTON entered a new phase of restructuring, which included a shift in leadership. Earlier this year in March, another notable change took place, especially for you if you play on US servers. ByteDance transferred the publishing rights for MLBB, MLA, and even Marvel Snap in the US to Skystone Games.
Nothing is finalized and both parties are yet to comment on this matter at the time of writing. More details are expected to arrive soon.
