Leyou

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].

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

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]

gollark: Hence eventually.
gollark: You should use osmarkshost™ eventually.
gollark: These people expressed opinions and cannot be in <#752944840949497868>.
gollark: Oh, except that sheep have wool now.
gollark: Nope.

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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