Riot Games now fully owned by Chinese gaming giant Tencent

In a quiet announcement on their company website, Riot Games revealed today that their majority investor, the Chinese-owned Tencent, has purchased the remaining equity in Riot.

According to the announcement, the key motivation behind the sale was to provide better compensation for the hardworking Riot team.

As the post explains:

“Riot’s approach to compensation has always been about aligning the incentives of the company with Rioters, and also about ensuring that we compensate our talented team of professionals well.”

Until now, Rioters benefited from the company’s success through a Riot equity program; going forward, Rioters will participate in a cash-based incentives program. 

The Chinese conglomerate also holds shares in Activision Blizzard and Epic Games, and is responsible for bringing Candy Crush Saga to China.

While Tencent’s buyout of the company sounds great for Rioters, what does it mean for the players of League of Legends going forward? For now, it’s anyone’s guess.

What are your thoughts on Tencent purchasing Riot Games? Do you think it will be as positive for players as it is for Riot employees? Sound off in the comments.