Tencent is reportedly working on a mobile game adaptation of FromSoftware’s Elden Ring, per sources speaking to Reuters. It’s believed the licensing rights for the game were bought in 2022, with a “few dozen people” working on early prototypes, guided by the aim of creating the next “new hit” for Tencent.
Due to high ambitions for the title, progress has reportedly been slow. Per Reuters, the game is being developed as a free-to-play title with in-app purchases, inspired by the popularity of Genshin Impact. At this stage, there are few details about how Elden Ring would translate to a free-to-play model, nor how its world would be adapted.
As Reuters points out, Elden Ring became one of the most popular games of 2022 due to its focus on single player adventuring in a wide open world. Introducing Genshin Impact-like gacha elements or paid collectibles would likely reshape the entire game, and change its appeal. It could be that this challenge is why progress on the game has reportedly been slow, and why Tencent has not officially announced it yet.
Read: Unannounced NieR mobile game reportedly cancelled
Per additional reporting from Reuters, Tencent is currently seeking its next big mobile hit, after a number of experiments. Recently, it was alleged the company had been working on a NieR mobile game spin-off before it was cancelled, with this title seemingly facing similar challenges to the reported Elden Ring game.
According to several sources, the NieR game wound up cancelled as Tencent “struggled to find a compelling monetisation model” that would account for steep licensing and development costs.
With the rampant success of PUBG Mobile and the relative underperformance of other recent Tencent mobile titles, the company is seemingly being cautious about where its effort is placed, and how its future games are monetised.
For now, plans for the reported Elden Ring mobile game are unclear, but we may learn more about it over the coming year, as development progresses.
