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ByteDance is said to be in advanced negotiations to sell Shanghai-based game developer Moonton Technology — the studio behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang — to the Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group in a transaction valued at between $6 billion and $7 billion, with talks progressing toward a possible deal this quarter. Both parties have reportedly agreed on broad commercial terms, marking a significant shift in ByteDance’s strategy and a major acquisition push for Savvy.
Moonton, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Shanghai’s Minhang District, employs more than 2,000 people across offices in Asia and Latin America. Its flagship title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has amassed over 1.5 billion installations and consistently ranks among the most played mobile games in over 80 countries, with a monthly active user base exceeding 110 million.
The potential sale represents a striking recalibration of ByteDance’s position in the global gaming industry. The company acquired Moonton in 2021 through its gaming subsidiary Nuverse for about $4 billion, part of an ambitious attempt to carve out market share in online games and compete with dominant players like Tencent. After expanding its gaming portfolio through a series of studio investments, ByteDance began streamlining that division in the face of escalating competition and challenging monetisation dynamics. The reported sale would signal an exit from large-scale in-house game development and a renewed focus on core pillars such as social media platforms and artificial intelligence.
Savvy Games Group, established in 2021 and wholly owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, has been building a presence in global gaming and esports through a string of high-profile acquisitions and investments. Its portfolio includes U. S. mobile games publisher Scopely, acquired for $4.9 billion in 2023, and the games division of Niantic, encompassing titles such as Pokémon GO, secured for an estimated $3.5 billion in 2025. Savvy’s strategy aligns with broader economic diversification aims, seeking to transform the Gulf kingdom into a technology and entertainment hub with a strong foothold in interactive entertainment.
Industry analysts view the prospective Moonton deal as part of an intensifying consolidation trend within the gaming sector, particularly in mobile and esports segments where the value of strong intellectual property and active player communities continues to rise. Deals of this magnitude underscore how sovereign investment vehicles and strategic acquirers are targeting proven franchises with global reach to accelerate growth and deepen market penetration.
For ByteDance, the pivot away from gaming follows challenges in capturing significant share against entrenched rivals and the high costs associated with global user acquisition and retention. After establishing Nuverse and making a series of acquisitions, the group faced mounting pressure to justify the capital deployed as some titles failed to gain the expected traction. This led to organisational restructuring and a narrower focus on fewer, high-priority ventures, with the potential Moonton divestment representing one of the most tangible outcomes of that strategy reassessment.
Moonton’s diverse game portfolio includes mobile titles beyond Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, such as Mobile Legends: Adventure, Magic Rush: Heroes, Watcher of Realms, and Magic Chess: Go Go, reflecting its broad creative output and deep involvement in the mobile gaming ecosystem. The company’s esports initiatives, including international tournaments and competitive circuits centred on Mobile Legends, have helped sustain engagement and community growth across key markets in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Savvy’s potential acquisition of Moonton would extend its footprint in China’s vibrant gaming landscape, a market that has historically been challenging for foreign investors due to regulatory complexities and domestic champions like Tencent and NetEase. A successful deal could position Savvy as one of the few global firms with direct stakes in marquee Asian gaming properties, complementing its existing Western and esports assets.
