Investing.com - Tencent Holdings Ltd (HK:0700) won the exclusive Chinese rights to distribute a “Game of Thrones” game for mobile phones, the company said on its official WeChat account Wednesday.
A test version of the game was set to be released sometime today, according to the company statement. An official launch date was not provided, but Tencent noted it would coincide with the show’s final season later this year.
The news came after Beijing clamped down on game approvals in 2018, citing “violence” and other “undesirable content.”
Game of Thrones, an HBO series based on George R.R. Martin’s series of books, drew a record 12.1 million viewers for the finale of the last season, which ended on August 27, 2017. The eighth season is scheduled to premiere on April 14, 2019.
“When the eighth and last season returns in April, it will definitely cause a sensation and much discussion,” Tencent said. “By releasing the game at this time, the TV series will help attract more players.”
Tencent’s shares last traded at HK$336.20, up 1.6% by 12:30 AM ET (05:30 GMT).