The United States Department of Defence has added Tencent, the parent company of League of Legends creator Riot Games, and many other gaming companies, to a list of businesses it says the Chinese military works with.
The list including Tencent was revealed today (Jan. 7), alongside battery maker CATL. The so-called blacklist of Chinese military companies was established in 2020 by then US president Donald Trump after an executive order prevented companies in the US from investing in firms that have ties to the Chinese military.
Image Credit: Tencent
LoL and Riot Parent Company Tencent Declared “Chinese Military Company” by US Govt.
Speaking to The Verge, Tencent representative Danny Marti stated the following:
“Unlike sanctions or export controls, this listing has no impact on our business. We will nonetheless work with the Department of Defense to address any misunderstanding.”
Tencent is one of the largest gaming companies on the planet. The company has majority shares in Warhammer 40,000 Darktide developer Fatshark, Dying Light dev Techland, and holds stakes in Epic Games (Fortnite, Unreal), FromSoftware (Elden Ring), and ofcourse, is the parent company behind Riot Games (League of Legends), and TiMi Studio Group (Arena of Valor, Honor of Kings).
Image Credit: Fatshark
Tencent also recently hit the headlines thanks to its stake in Ubisoft. The long-standing publisher of titles like Assassins Creed is reportedly feeling financial pressures, with upcoming Japan-based Assassins Creed: Shadows being a make-or-break moment in the company’s future. Should it fail, it’s speculated that the Chinese company could attempt to buy-out Ubisoft.
While, as stated by Tencent, the list has no formal power as of now, other companies on the list of banned Chinese businesses, such as Tiktok, have faced restrictions and outright bans.
Should the blacklist that Tencent finds itself become part of more formal sanctions, bans, and restrictions, many of the US’s favorite games could find themselves on the chopping block.