Tencent in talks to acquire Clash of Clans developer – report

Chinese firm Tencent is reportedly in talks to acquire a majority stake in mobile game studio Supercell, creators of the mega-popular Clash of Clans franchise.

According to TechCentral, citing people familiar with the matter, the deal could value Supercell at a rather significant $9-billion.

The publication’s sources said that talks were still in the early ages and a deal might not be reached.

They added that Supercell’s valuation could change as talks continue.

If successful, the acquisition could make South Africa’s Naspers an even wealthier company, as it has a minority stake in Tencent.

Tencent already plays host to successful mobile offerings, such as WeChat, while also having a minority stake in veteran mobile gaming developer Glu Mobile. The latter has struck gold recently with Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.

In fact, Glu has also signed deals for games featuring Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Gordon Ramsey.

But an acquisition of Supercell is no laughing matter, as the Finnish studio reported a $964-million profit for 2015.

According to ThinkGaming, Clash of Clans rakes in an estimated $850 000 daily.

Other games developed by Supercell include Clash Royale and Boom Beach.