Savvy just dropped over six billion dollars to snatch up Mobile Legends from ByteDance, securing the crown jewel of Southeast Asian esports for the Saudi empire.
Acquisition Details
Acquisition Details
- Savvy Games Group signed a definitive deal to buy MOONTON Games for more than $6 billion.
- The purchase price makes it one of the largest mobile gaming and esports acquisitions ever.
- ByteDance and Savvy are waiting on standard regulatory approvals to close the transaction.
- Zhang Yunfan stays on as CEO with the existing management team keeping their roles.
- MOONTON’s flagship title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang boasts over 1.5 billion total installs.
- The game pulls in more than 110 million monthly active users worldwide.
- It ranks as a top 10 mobile game across multiple global markets.
- MLBB’s esports scene is one of the most-watched globally, especially in Southeast Asia.
- The acquisition targets the high-growth Asian market after Savvy’s 2023 Hero Esports investment.
- PIF-backed Savvy already owns ESL FACEIT Group and funds the Esports World Cup.
- MLBB was the most-watched title at EWC and the only one with a women’s competition.
- This move secures a key IP for Savvy’s EWC and Esports Nations Cup initiatives.
