Digital Extremes have announced Tencent is now their parent company, but insist they will “remain creatively independent with ambitious plans for 2021.”
In the statement on their website, Digital Extremes explain that Hong Kong-based video game holding company Leyou had purchased the majority of their shares in 2014. Now, Tencent have acquired Leyou, becoming the new parent company for Digital Extremes.
The developer insisted several times that they will remain “creatively independent,” as they did over the six-year period with Leyou. “We expect no changes to Warframe or how our studio operates,” Digital Extremes explain, “and we will remain as dedicated ever to you, the community, who has been with us every step of the way since we launched Warframe.”
The Q&A segment continues to emphasize that Digital Extremes will operate without interference.
“Will Digital Extremes still independently operate Warframe?
Yes, we will continue to create great content for Warframe and we will remain creatively independent. Our focus will remain on listening to you, our community, upgrading Warframe based on your feedback, and developing the kind of great stories, gameplay, and incredible new space ninja action you’ve come to expect from us. Tencent is well known for respecting the creative decisions and integrity of its studios, and for giving them the autonomy and independence to experiment, innovate and thrive.Will this cause any changes to the game direction of Warframe?
Warframe’s direction will remain in the hands of its development team, which is 100% dedicated to its community. We got here because of you! Our creative goals remain steadfastly focused on expanding on next-generation consoles (Xbox Series X/S), innovating with The New War, forging ahead with intense space battles (Corpus Railjack), and more surprises in 2021.Will the Chinese version of Warframe get better or faster updates than in the West?
Currently, the Chinese version of Warframe is far behind its Western counterpart. We are already working with Tencent to bring updates to the Chinese version.”
As aforementioned, Digital Extremes are best known for Warframe. Their past titles include Homefront, The Darkness II, Dark Sector, and several classic Unreal titles.
Tencent’s portfolio includes becoming the major shareholder for Marvelous in January 2020, 100% ownership of Riot Games, 80% of Grinding Gear Games, 40% in Epic Games, 29% in Funcom, 5% in Activision Blizzard, 5% in Ubisoft, 5% in Paradox Interactive, a “major investment” in PlatinumGames, and others.
Tencent also opened LightSpeed LA this year, who are already at work on an open-world AAA PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X game. Subsidiary TiMi Studios are also working on Metal Slug Code: J, and free-to-start MOBA Pokemon Unite.
Image: Warframe official website
