Tencent become majority shareholder of Techland the creators of Call of Juarez and Dying Light. This significant development was announced by Techland last week, marking the end of their 30-year tenure as an independent studio. According to other sources, this move is seen as Tencent further expanding its influence in the global gaming industry.

What is great about this move is that Tencent helps companies break into the Chinese market, but also sport a track record for funding development of new projects.

Techland first made waves in the gaming world with the release of “Call of Juarez” in 2006 and its subsequent prequel, “Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood” in 2009. The studio’s success streak continued with the launch of “Dead Island” in 2011. Despite mixed reviews due to a discrepancy between the game’s trailer and actual gameplay, “Dead Island” was a commercial hit.

However, it was the release of “Dying Light” in 2015 that truly catapulted Techland to fame. The game, a blend of “Dead Island” and parkour elements, was both a commercial and critical success. It is now regarded by many gamers as one of the best games in the zombie genre.

Techland’s handling of “Dying Light” post-release has been lauded as a model for how developers should treat their games. The game enjoyed several years of success, and its sequel, “Dying Light 2,” released in 2022, is expected to follow suit.

Currently, Techland is developing a fantasy open-world action-RPG, marking the studio’s first new IP in over a decade. In their press release announcing the partnership with Tencent, Techland expressed confidence that this new alliance would enable the studio to fully commit to ensuring their upcoming new IP meets expectations.

Paweł Marchewka will continue to serve as Techland’s CEO, and the studio will retain creative freedom and ownership of their IPs. This move by Tencent to acquire a majority stake in Techland is seen as part of its broader strategy to invest in gaming companies worldwide.

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