ByteDance Reportedly Selling Mobile Legends Developer MOONTON for $6 Billion

ByteDance is reportedly close to finalizing a major deal to sell MOONTON Games, the developer behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, to Savvy Games Group for approximately $6 billion.

According to Bloomberg, negotiations that have been ongoing since 2023 are now nearing completion, although neither company has officially confirmed the agreement yet. As part of the deal, MOONTON CEO Zhang Yunfan is expected to remain in his role, with the current team staying intact and additional incentive programs planned for employees.

Part of ByteDance’s Shift Away from Gaming

The potential sale reflects ByteDance’s gradual exit from the gaming sector. The company originally acquired MOONTON in 2021 for around $4 billion as part of its push into the industry. However, over the past two years, it has scaled back its gaming ambitions, including restructuring efforts, layoffs, and reduced investment in its Nuverse division.

Instead, ByteDance has shifted focus toward artificial intelligence and its core platforms, such as TikTok.

Long-Running Sale Talks

Rumors about a possible sale have circulated for some time. In late 2023, reports suggested ByteDance was exploring a deal, though this was initially denied by company leadership. By early 2024, ByteDance confirmed it was in discussions with potential buyers, including Tencent, which later acquired two of its studios.

Further signs of a broader exit strategy emerged in 2025, when publishing rights for several titles — including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Marvel Snap — were transferred in the U.S.

Savvy Games Expands Its Global Reach

Savvy Games Group, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has been активно expanding its footprint in the global gaming industry. The company previously acquired Scopely for $4.9 billion in 2023 and later invested $3.5 billion in Niantic, the developer behind Pokémon GO.

If finalized, the MOONTON acquisition would mark another major step in Savvy Games’ strategy to become a global gaming powerhouse.