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TikTok Owner ByteDance in Talks to Sell MLBB Developer Moonton: What It Means for Mobile Legends, Esports, and Global Gaming Power

  • Writer: Iqbal Sandira
    Iqbal Sandira
  • Dec 11
  • 4 min read
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The global gaming and esports industry may be on the brink of another seismic ownership shift. Reports indicate that TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton has once again become a serious topic—this time involving Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, the gaming arm of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).


While negotiations are still in early stages and far from guaranteed, the implications of such a deal would be massive. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) is not just a game; it is one of the most dominant mobile esports ecosystems in the world, especially across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and parts of Latin America and the Middle East.


This article breaks down the context, strategic motivations, financial pressures, and potential consequences if TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton becomes a completed transaction.


Background: ByteDance, Moonton, and MLBB

ByteDance’s Acquisition of Moonton

ByteDance acquired Shanghai Moonton Technology in 2021 for approximately $4 billion, securing full ownership of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. At the time, the acquisition made strategic sense:

  • MLBB was already one of the top-grossing mobile games globally

  • The title had a fully operational esports ecosystem

  • Southeast Asia represented a massive growth engine

  • ByteDance was aggressively expanding beyond short-form video

MLBB quickly became ByteDance’s flagship gaming asset.


Why MLBB Is So Valuable

To understand why TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB matters, you need to understand MLBB’s unique position in gaming.

MLBB by the Numbers (Contextual Scale)

  • One of the most-played mobile MOBAs globally

  • Dominant in Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar

  • Massive presence in Latin America & MENA

  • Second most-watched esports ecosystem worldwide (behind LoL Worlds)

Unlike many mobile games, MLBB is not dependent on Western markets. Its power lies in regions where:

  • Mobile gaming dominates PC/console

  • Esports is community-driven

  • Infrastructure favors low-spec devices

This makes MLBB strategically irreplaceable.


ByteDance’s Strategic Shift Away From Gaming

Exiting Non-Core Businesses

Since late 2023, ByteDance has been systematically reducing its exposure to gaming:

  • Sold Nuverse to Tencent (mid-2024)

  • Froze or canceled several in-house game projects

  • Refocused capital and leadership on:

    • TikTok (global)

    • Douyin (China)

    • AI-driven content systems

Gaming, while profitable, is no longer central to ByteDance’s long-term priorities.

From this lens, TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton is not surprising—it’s consistent.


Enter Savvy Games Group (Saudi Arabia)

Who Is Savvy Games Group?

Savvy Games Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), created to execute the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification strategy through gaming and esports.

Savvy already owns or controls:

  • ESL FACEIT Group (global esports infrastructure)

  • Scopely (Monopoly GO!, Stumble Guys)

  • SNK (King of Fighters, Fatal Fury)

  • Stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon, Take-Two, and others

Acquiring Moonton would instantly give Savvy:

  • A Tier-1 mobile esports title

  • Dominance in Southeast Asia

  • A youth-focused global IP


Why Savvy Wants MLBB

If TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton succeeds, it would align perfectly with Savvy’s portfolio logic.

Strategic Benefits for Savvy

  • Mobile-first esports (complements PC-dominated ESL assets)

  • Massive penetration in emerging markets

  • Ready-made grassroots esports system

  • Long-term monetization via cosmetics + esports sponsorships

MLBB fits Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global esports hub, not just a regional one.


Financial Reality: PIF Is Not Unlimited

Despite nearly $1 trillion in assets, recent reporting suggests the PIF is under increasing financial strain:

  • Capital tied up in domestic megaprojects

  • Reduced appetite for speculative new investments

  • Shift toward consolidating existing holdings

This is crucial.

Bloomberg sources emphasize that negotiations are early-stage and may not result in a sale. Savvy may push for:

  • Lower valuation than 2021’s $4B

  • Structured deal (earn-outs, staged acquisition)

  • Strategic partnership instead of outright purchase

So while TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton is real, completion is not guaranteed.


Valuation: Is Moonton Still Worth $4B+?

This is the core tension.


Factors Supporting High Valuation

  • MLBB esports continues to grow

  • Strong monetization in SEA

  • Low operational costs relative to revenue

  • Long lifespan due to mobile-first markets


Factors Pressuring Valuation

  • ByteDance exiting gaming weakens negotiating position

  • Regulatory and political scrutiny around PIF investments

  • Increased competition in mobile MOBAs

  • Market cooling after post-pandemic boom

Realistically, any deal today would likely sit below the original $4B acquisition price, unless structured creatively.


Esports Impact: What Happens to MLBB?

If the sale goes through, most players care about one thing:

👉 Will MLBB esports change?

Likely Outcomes

  • More investment in tournaments and prize pools

  • Expansion into Middle East & North Africa

  • Increased production value via ESL infrastructure

  • Possible rebranding or league restructuring

Savvy has consistently invested heavily, not passively, in esports properties.


What Probably Won’t Change

  • Core gameplay

  • Regional leagues in SEA

  • Mobile-first accessibility

From a player perspective, the risk is low. From an esports organizer perspective, the upside is high.


Political & Regulatory Sensitivities

Any deal involving:

  • Chinese tech firms (ByteDance)

  • Saudi sovereign funds (PIF)

  • Global digital IP

…will attract scrutiny.

In the U.S. and Europe, regulators may examine:

  • Foreign influence

  • Data governance

  • Labor practices

  • Human rights concerns tied to PIF

This doesn’t block the deal automatically—but it adds friction and delays.


Why ByteDance Might Sell Even at a Discount

From a pure strategy standpoint, ByteDance may accept less than peak valuation because:

  • MLBB is no longer synergistic with TikTok

  • Management focus matters more than asset value

  • Regulatory pressure on ByteDance is rising globally

  • Capital can be redeployed into AI & content infrastructure

Sometimes, divestment is about organizational clarity, not just money.


What This Means for the Mobile Gaming Industry

If TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton becomes reality, it signals:

  1. Mobile esports is now sovereign-wealth scale

  2. SEA-focused titles are no longer “regional”

  3. Gaming IP is geopolitical capital

  4. Saudi Arabia is serious about owning the future of esports

This is not just a business story—it’s a structural shift.


Final Assessment

At this stage:

  • Talks are real

  • Outcome is uncertain

  • Strategic logic exists on both sides

  • Financial and political constraints are non-trivial

Whether or not the deal closes, the fact that TikTok owner ByteDance in talks to sell MLBB developer Moonton is happening at all confirms one thing:

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is no longer just a game. It’s a global asset.

And whoever controls it controls one of the largest digital youth communities in the world.


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