Benzinga - by Shivani Kumaresan, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Tencent Holdings Ltd's (OTC:TCEHY) blockbuster release Dungeon & Fighter Mobile has made a remarkable debut in China, raking in over $140 million in player spending during its first week.
The impressive start cements its place as one of the most lucrative launches in the global gaming market, Bloomberg reported.
Released on May 21, DnF Mobile has amassed $63 million on Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store in China, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
It translates to over $140 million in total player spending across all mobile platforms, including Android stores, as estimated by gaming researcher Niko Partners.
DnF Mobile's Success is based on the popular franchise developed by Nexon Co., which has topped both download and grossing charts over the past week.
With 2.6 million downloads on iPhones in China, the game's popularity even led to a suspension shortly after launch due to server issues.
Long-awaited Arrival in China follows a prolonged delay caused by Beijing's crackdown on the internet industry, which included a halt on game approvals.
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DnF Mobile's successful entry has provided a boost to Tencent, pushing its other hits like Honor of Kings and Peacekeeper Elite down the charts, thereby securing the top three most profitable games in China last week.
Future Investor Focus is now on whether Tencent can maintain the game's initial success. The company leveraged aggressive marketing, including animated ads in WeChat, to ensure a fast launch.
If sustained, DnF Mobile could generate over $1 billion in sales for Tencent this year, constituting about 5% of its domestic game sales.
Comparative Performance shows that 2020's Genshin Impact by Mihoyo garnered around $60 million globally in its first week, excluding third-party Android stores in China, as per Sensor Tower.
Tencent's Strategy includes ramping up new game launches following the pause in license approvals.
During its annual games event, the company announced over a dozen upcoming titles, including the anticipated console game Black Myth: Wukong.
Price Action: TCEHY shares closed lower by 0.27% at $48.33 at the last check on Wednesday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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