Tencent Holdings made waves when they purchased 16% of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware alongside Sony in 2022, and today, a report has surfaced on a potential mobile adaptation of the title.
Sources have reportedly told Reuters that Tencent Holdings is working on a mobile Elden Ring title. This is after Sony and Tencent joined forces in 2022 to purchase a collective 30.34% (Tencent received 16.25% and Sony received 14.06%, respectively) of FromSoftware, the developers of Elden Ring and other critically acclaimed titles. Allegedly, Tencent had begun development on the mobile title soon after the percentage stake was gained in FromSoftware, but progress has “been slow.” Tencent also did not disclose their plans for the mobile game at the time of purchase.
It’s worth mentioning amid these reports of a potential mobile title set in The Lands Between, fans have still heard nearly nothing regarding the previously announced Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, outside of FromSoftware producer Yasuhiro Kitao assuring it’s still in the works in December 2023. Elden Ring launched in 2022 to widespread critical acclaim, even coming out on top in the GOTY race against another gaming juggernaut, God of War Ragnarok, and while the title was designed as a top-notch experience with a price tag, Tencent allegedly wants the mobile title to be free-to-play along the same vein as Genshin Impact, monetization included.
The report does conflict with how FromSoftware normally develops their games (charge a premium price and deliver an epic product), recent developments in the mobile gaming space have made it so that it is possible a true-to-form Elden Ring could be enjoyed from a mobile device. Huge AAA-developed titles such as Death Stranding and Resident Evil 4 Remake have made the jump to mobile without much issue, so it could be possible that if Tencent is developing a ‘mobile Elden Ring,’ it is possible it could be a true port. But, judging by the recently cancelled Nier mobile title from Tencent, that’s wishful thinking.
Fans should take this report with a grain of salt until Tencent or FromSoftware makes a formal announcement, and as of this posting, they haven’t just yet.
