ByteDance & Savvy Games Set $6-7B Moonton Mobile Game Deal

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is in advanced talks with Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group to sell Moonton Technology, a Shanghai-based studio behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). According to a Reuters’ report on February 13, 2026, this game deal is potentially priced at $6-7 billion with a final agreement possibly signed as soon as the end of Q1 2026. Moonton’s sale could reshape global market of mobile games.

ByteDance, Moonton, and Savvy Games Group have reportedly reached an initial agreement on broad terms of the deal, though no official confirmation is issued as of February 13. For a large number of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang players worldwide, it is the biggest corporate news to hit MLBB ecosystem in years. As MLBB’s official partner, JollyMax offers easy, fast & safe top-up of the game for value-added items and services.

Moonton Deal in Game Market: $4B to $7B in 5 Years

ByteDance originally acquired Moonton in 2021 via its gaming arm Nuverse, in a deal valuing the studio at around $4 billion, as previously reported by Reuters. Selling at $6-7 billion would gain 50-75% on that original price, a premium driven entirely by sustained commercial dominance of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) in global market of mobile games.

What makes the valuation of Moonton Technology so compelling is Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, whose snapshot is as follows:

• 1.5 billion+ lifetime installations of MLBB game
• 110 million+ monthly active users (MAU)
• Ranks in the top 10 most-played games in over 80 countries and regions
• A global esports presence in 139 countries and regions
• 475 million Hours Watched across MLBB’s esports ecosystem in year 2024
• M7 World Championship peaked at 5.6 million Peak Concurrent Viewers—the second-highest ever for any esports event, behind only League of Legends, and a new all-time record in mobile esports

A transaction worth $6-7 billion would rank among the top 10 largest gaming acquisitions in history. It also underscores that live-service mobile IP with proven retention and monetization—through skins, seasonal content, and esports integration—commands premium multiples even in a market where many other studios are financially struggling. For better gaming experience and advanced player features, top up MLBB easily, fastly & safely at JollyMax official website.

Why ByteDance Sells Moonton? Exit Game Development

For ByteDance and its executives, the potential sale of Moonton is not about financial distress but about strategic focus on core business and future competency. Reuters noted the deal “would mark ByteDance’s major retreat from online games”. The trajectory of ByteDance’s gaming ambitions tells a clear story:

1. Year 2021: ByteDance acquires Moonton Technology via Nuverse for ~$4 billion, aiming to build an international game business to challenge major rivals.
2. Year 2023: ByteDance announces a restructuring of its gaming division, winding down its Nuverse brand and beginning to pull back from hardcore game development.
3. Year 2024: ByteDance confirms it is in discussion to sell its game business, with Tencent initially cited as a potential buyer. Several projects are eventually divested to Tencent.
4. November 2025: Bloomberg first reports that ByteDance has revived Moonton sale talks with Savvy Games Group, though discussions were described as preliminary at the time.
5. February 13, 2026: Reuters reports that talks have reached an “advanced” stage with broad terms agreed, and a deal could close as soon as the end of Q1 2026.

Meanwhile, ByteDance’s core business has never been stronger. Its first- and second-quarter 2025 revenues both surpassed those of Meta (Facebook / Instagram), making it the world’s number one social media company by sales. ByteDance was valued at over $330 billion in its Q3 2025 share buyback, according to Reuters.

For ByteDance, selling Moonton Technology is about redirecting capital toward AI infrastructure—specifically large language models like Seedance—and sustaining the TikTok ecosystem. JollyMax offers top-up items and services of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang at www.jollymax.com to level up player features and gaming experience.

Savvy Games Group: Saudi Brand Collaboration Powerhouse

Savvy Games Group does business of games and esports. It is a global company founded in 2021 and wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF)—the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. It is central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the national economy and establish the kingdom as a global game hub. The Moonton deal, if completed, would be its latest and potentially most consequential acquisition yet.

In previous history of Savvy Games Group, major brand collaborations and buyouts in game market include:

• ESL and FACEIT: Merged to form the ESL FACEIT Group, giving Savvy control over major PC esports tournament infrastructure around the world.
• Scopely ($4.9 billion, 2023): The maker of mobile hits including Monopoly Go acquired for nearly $5 billion, making it one of the largest mobile gaming deals of that year.
• Niantic’s games division ($3.5 billion, 2025): Scopely (under Savvy ownership) acquired the maker of Pokémon Go for $3.5 billion.
• Electronic Arts ($55 billion, 2026, pending): PIF, alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, is acquiring EA in a deal that would take the FIFA, Apex Legends, and Battlefield publisher private.

Savvy Games Group also holds minority stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, Nexon, Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard, and Koei Tecmo. Adding Moonton Technology would give Savvy Games direct control over a dominant Southeast Asian mobile franchise—a segment of the global market of mobile games where its existing portfolio is comparatively thin.

This deal would allow Saudi Arabia to control an entire segment of a major esports value chain—from game publishing to tournament operations—while securing a title with over 1.5 billion downloads. Combined with ESL FACEIT’s PC tournament ecosystem, Scopely’s casual mobile portfolio, and the potential EA acquisition, Savvy Games would hold arguably the most diversified gaming portfolio of any single entity on earth.

What Moonton Deal Means to Mobile Legends Game Players?

As for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) players, the most important question is: what does the Moonton deal change? Based on the track record of Savvy Games Group, here is what MLBB’s game market could look like under new ownership:

• Expanded esports investment: Savvy Games already owns tournament infrastructure through ESL FACEIT. MLBB’s MPL league system might benefit from deeper integration, increased prize pools, and new international tournament formats—potentially helping players earn money and make money by competitive play.
• More brand collaborations: With ties to EA, Scopely, and multiple major publishers, Savvy Games could unlock crossover or multi-brand collaborations for Mobile Legends skins, game items, and limited events that were previously impossible under ByteDance.
• Increased Middle East presence: MLBB has already confirmed to return the 2026 Esports World Cup to Saudi Arabia, a yearly big event directly funded by PIF. A Savvy-owned Moonton would have even stronger incentives to invest in MENA region.
• Operational continuity: Savvy Games likes an acquisition strategy to keep developers operating independently. Scopely continued as a standalone studio after being acquired in 2023. Moonton is likely the same, meaning MLBB’s development team in Shanghai and regional offices should remain intact.

That said, analysts caution that no deal is confirmed yet. ByteDance, Moonton, and Savvy Games Group all declined to comment publicly. The game deal could still face regulatory scrutiny, particularly given the broader political sensitivities around Saudi Arabia’s gaming acquisitions in Western markets. MLBB continues game business as usual before an official announcement.

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FAQs on Moonton & Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Deal

Has ByteDance’s sale of Moonton Technology been officially confirmed?

No. As of the time of writing, neither ByteDance, Moonton, nor Savvy Games Group has issued an official statement confirming the deal. The reporting comes from two sources cited by Reuters who were not authorized to speak publicly. Both parties have declined to make comments.

How much is Moonton Technology being sold for?

According to Reuters, Moonton deal is valued between $6 billion and $7 billion. Comparing to ByteDance’s original ~$4 billion acquisition price in year 2021, such valuation increases by 50-75% because of MLBB’s continued growth and esports dominance to become the biggest asset of Moonton Technology.

Who is Savvy Games Group?

Savvy Games Group is a games and esports company in Saudi Arabian and owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). It has previously acquired Scopely for $4.9 billion and Niantic’s game division for $3.5 billion, and is part of a consortium acquiring Electronic Arts for $55 billion.

When could the Moonton deal be finalized?

One source cited by Reuters indicated that a deal could be finalized as soon as the end of Q1 2026, namely March 2026. However, as final negotiations are still ongoing, the timeline remains uncertain.

Will Mobile Legends: Bang Bang change if the Moonton deal goes through?

There is no official indication that Mobile Legends gameplay, content updates, and in-game items will change. Savvy Games Group historically allows acquired studios like Scopely to operate independently. Moonton Technology is expected to continue developing and publishing MLBB as before, though long-term investment and esports partnership may expand.

Why is ByteDance selling Moonton Technology?

ByteDance began to restructure its gaming division in year 2023 after deciding that game industry didn’t align with its core strategic strengths in social media, ad tech, and artificial intelligence (AI). The Moonton sale is described by Reuters as a “major retreat from online games”, whose proceeds are expected to fund ByteDance’s AI infrastructure and TikTok development.

Conclusion: Final Moonton Deal Signals What’s Next

The game deal between ByteDance and Savvy Games Group for Moonton Technology is reportedly worth $6-7 billion. It is one of the most consequential transactions in the history of mobile gaming industry, and the largest ever centered on a single mobile title. It signals to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang players that MLBB is not only a globally beloved MOBA game, but also a premium asset that commands billion-dollar attention.

While nothing is final yet, the business direction is clear. Whether the Moonton deal closes this quarter or later in 2026, the player community of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang can expect continued and likely increased investment in MLBB like esports ecosystem, game items, and seasonal content. Stay tuned for official updates from Moonton Technology.