ByteDance, the owner of the popular social network TikTok, is in the late stages of negotiations to sell its game studio Shanghai Moonton Technology to Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group.
According to Reuters sources, the deal could be valued between $6–7 billion, with the contract potentially being signed as early as this quarter (meaning before the end of March 2026).
Moonton's most notable project is the mobile MOBA Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). It was this title’s massive success that led ByteDance to acquire Moonton in 2021 through its gaming division Nuverse for roughly $4 billion.
In 2023, ByteDance announced a restructuring of its gaming business following an internal review. Selling Moonton would become one of the company’s biggest steps away from online gaming.
If the deal goes through, it would also mark another major move in Saudi Arabia’s strategy to dominate mobile gaming and esports, aligning with the broader global consolidation trend—where companies compete for IP, distribution channels, and scale.
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