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Leyou

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Leyou
Company typePublic
IndustryVideo games
FounderAlex Xu
Headquarters
Hong Kong
ProductsVideo games
SubsidiariesDigital Extremes
Splash Damage
Athlon Games
Kingmaker
Radiance Games
Websiteleyoutech.com.hk

Leyou is a Hong Kong based global video game holding company focused on free-to-play console and PC gaming. Leyou has five subsidiaries[1]: Digital Extremes, Splash Damage, Athlon Games (publisher), Kingmaker and Radiance Games. Leyou also has a 20% stake in Certain Affinity and has an option to buy out the company after 2020[2].

Overview

In October 2014, the chicken meat supplier Sumpo Food Holdings announced their intent to acquire a majority stake in Canadian games company Digital Extremes.[3] Digital Extremes is the developer and publisher of titles such as Dark Sector and Warframe.

In 2015, the company renamed itself to Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited.[4] The company at that time had two core businesses, Agriculture and Poultry and Gaming.[5]

In June 2016, Leyou purchased the remaining shares of Digital Extremes.[6][7][8]

In July 2016, the sale of British games developer Splash Damage to Radius Maxima (a Leyou subsidiary)[9] was announced, for up to $150 million by Paul Wedgwood, its sole owner, co-founder and chief executive.[10][11] Splash Damage is the developer of titles such as Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Brink and Dirty Bomb.

In August 2016, the company announced they would sell the chicken business and focus on its gaming business.[12][13]

In July 2017, Leyou announced that it had acquired a 51% stake in Guangzhou Radiance Software Technology Co. Ltd., a company working on Civilization Online under a license granted by Take-Two Interactive.[14]

In October 2017, Leyou announced a $10 million investment in Austin-based game developer Certain Affinity to develop original games, gaining a 20% minority stake in the company.[15][16]

In May 2018, Leyou launched a video game publishing label known as Athlon Games based in California.[17][18]

In September 2018, Leyou announced a partnership between Athlon Games and Middle-earth Enterprises to publish a multi-year online free to play game based on The Lord of the Rings fantasy work of J.R.R. Tolkien.[19] In July 2019, Leyou and Amazon announced that they would collaborate on the project, with Amazon publishing the game worldwide and Leyou publishing the game in China and Taiwan[20].

In 2019, Athlon Games became the worldwide publisher of Samurai Shodown, with SNK developing the game and publishing the game in Asia.[21]

In August 2019, Athlon Games became shareholder and publishing partner of LCG Entertainment, which acquired the assets of defunct studio Telltale Games.[22][23]

In 2019, Leyou were reportedly seeking a buyer. iDreamSky (which its 18.6% stake is owned by Tencent) and CVC Capital Partners offered to acquire Leyou, but the talks were stalled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. [24] iDreamSky were met with a competing offer from Zhejiang Century Huatong, who entered into a non-binding merger agreement with Leyou in May 2020. [25] In July, Bloomberg News reported that both Sony and Tencent were also interested in bidding for Leyou. [26][27]

References

  1. ^ "Subsidiaries - Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited". Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  2. ^ "Disclosable transaction in relation to the acquisition of 20% of the issued share capital of Certain Affinity and the entering of a game development agreement" (PDF). 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  3. ^ "Major transaction in relation to the acquisition of 58% of the entire issued share capital of Digital Extremes" (PDF). 2014-10-14. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  4. ^ "Change of company name and stock short name" (PDF). 2015-02-23. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  5. ^ "Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited | 樂遊科技控股有限公司". Archived from the original on 2015-04-26.
  6. ^ "GamesBeat Boss interview: China's Leyou moves from chicken meat to triple-A game publishing". VentureBeat. 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  7. ^ "Lexpert ® | Leyou Technologies acquires 39% of Digital Extremes for US$65 million". Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  8. ^ "Leyou Technologies Holdings Purchases Digital Extremes, Creators of Warframe -". mxdwn Games. 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  9. ^ "Splash Damage sold to Chinese poultry firm". gamesindustry.biz. 2017-07-11. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  10. ^ Alex Hern. "Chinese chicken supplier buys UK games developer Splash Damage | Technology". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-07-16.
  11. ^ Purchese, Robert (2016-07-11). "Splash Damage bought by Chinese chicken meat company Leyou •". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2016-07-16.
  12. ^ "A strong contender for the weirdest deal of 2016". 2016-09-07. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  13. ^ "Very substantial disposal and connected transactions related to disposal of the entire equity interest in the target company and provision of financial assistance to a connected person" (PDF). 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  14. ^ "Voluntary announcement investment in an online game development company incorporated in People's Republic of China" (PDF). 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  15. ^ "Austin Game Maker Certain Affinity Lands $10 Million Investment from Hong Kong Firm - SiliconHills". SiliconHills. 2017-10-17. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  16. ^ Ivan, Tom (July 2, 2020). "Sony is 'considering bidding' for the parent of Warframe and Gears Tactics studios". Video Games Chronicles. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  17. ^ "Digital Extremes' Chinese owner stealthily launches new US publisher". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Leyou Tech Established Game Publishing Division in USA Spearheaded by Former WBIE VP & Director". Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  19. ^ "Athlon Games Partners with Middle-earth Enterprises". leyoutech.com.hk. 2018-09-03. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  20. ^ "Amazon Will Co-Develop 'Lord of the Rings' Game With Leyou". 2019-07-11. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  21. ^ "Samurai Shodown to be published by Athlon Games". 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  22. ^ Campell, Colin (August 28, 2019). "Telltale Games is being revived". Polygon.
  23. ^ Takahashi, Dean (August 28, 2019). "LCG Entertainment game veterans buy Telltale Games". VentureBeat.
  24. ^ "CVC, iDreamSky Talks for Hong Kong's Leyou Buyout Have Stalled". April 22, 2020.
  25. ^ "Hong Kong Gaming Firm Leyou Tech Gets a New Buyout Offer". May 4, 2020.
  26. ^ "Sony Weighs Bid for Hong Kong-Listed Gaming Firm Leyou". July 2, 2020.
  27. ^ Baigorri, Manuel (July 10, 2010). "Tencent in Talks to Acquire Hong Kong-Listed Gaming Firm Leyou". Bloomberg News. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
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