Wizards of the Coast and Tencent announce partnership to bring Magic: The Gathering Arena and future games to China
- MTG Arena
RENTON, WA, and SHENZHEN, CN – April 23, 2018 — Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and Tencent, a leading provider of Internet value-added services in China, today announced a partnership to bring Magic: The Gathering to digital gamers in Asia. Tencent will be the exclusive digital publisher and esports broadcaster for the iconic strategy card game in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei.
Wizards of the Coast's newest digital game, Magic: The Gathering Arena, is currently in Closed Beta and will be the first game published by Tencent through the new partnership. The game is designed and built for digital gamers without compromising Magic's core gameplay. Every element of the game design is focused on an engaging and dynamic experience, true to authentic Magic, to provide players and viewers fast-paced, exciting, and easy-to-follow matches.
"Magic: The Gathering is played by millions of passionate fans throughout Asia and continued growth here is a crucial part of our strategy," said Wizards of the Coast President Chris Cocks. "Tencent is the perfect partner to help bring Magic to more and more gamers throughout the world."
"Magic: The Gathering is a legendary game and has had a huge influence on culture and industry," said Steven Ma, Senior Vice President of Tencent's Interactive Entertainment Group. "We are thrilled to bring this amazing experience to players in Asia and look forward to helping expand its global community."
In addition to MTG Arena, the partnership also includes publishing of future games based on the strategy card game on mobile, PC, and console platforms.
About Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast brings people together through their shared love of games. Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and other Wizards games are enjoyed by friends around the world, both at gaming tables and on digital platforms. We bring together world-class creators in game design, worldbuilding, fantasy art, and interactive events to create unforgettable moments.
Wizards of the Coast is a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS). For more information, visit www.wizards.com.
About Tencent
Tencent uses technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Our social products Weixin and QQ link our users to a rich digital content catalogue including games, video, music, and books. Our proprietary targeting technology helps advertisers reach out to hundreds of millions of consumers in China. Our infrastructure services, including payment, security, cloud, and artificial intelligence, create differentiated offerings and support our partners' business growth. Tencent invests heavily in people and innovation, enabling us to evolve with the Internet.
Tencent was founded in Shenzhen, China, in 1998. Shares of Tencent (00700.HK) are traded on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
Media Contacts
Wizards of the Coast
hugh.mcmullen@wizards.com
Tencent
wenjunye@tencent.com
phcheung@tencent.com