Epic’s Fornite – perhaps world’s most popular video game- expands to China with $16M from Tencent | WRAL TechWire

Epic’s Fornite – perhaps world’s most popular video game- expands to China with $16M from Tencent

CARY – Epic Games’ increasingly popular free post-apocalypse battleground title Fortnite is expanding its footprint to China with the help of China-based tech giant Tencent and nearly $16 million.

Tencent already owns a 40 percent stake in privately held Epic.

Epic and Tencent executed an agreement to take Fortnite’s zombies-vs.-humans battle to the Middle Kingdom that also calls for tencent to “clamp down on piracy and illegal clones,” according to Do News and global games media reports.

Half of the Tencent funding “will be used to create content for the game and support video content creators. The other half will be used to push it as an espor,” reports GamesIndustry.

Engadget reports that Tencent “has allegedly already built a dedicated app to teach players about the game and watch live broadcasts, and those who visit the game’s Chinese site and pre-order it earn special items.”

While Fortnite is free to play, gamers can purchase various accessories. Epic reportedly has already made millions off those accessory sales.

Fortnite has drawn millions of players, leading some in the gaming media to label it the world’s most popular title.