Spanish developerTequila Worksis best known for puzzle platformers like 2012’sDeadlight, 2017’sRime, andthe Stadia exclusiveGylt. It’s also working onSong of Nunu: A League of Legends Storyfor publisher Riot Games.
However, the company may no longer be as independent as it used to be.Tequila Worksrecently announced that Chinese technology firm Tencent is now the studio’s majority shareholder.
RELATED:PUBG Mobile is Crossing Over With Warframe
Tequila Games announced itsnew relationship with Tencentin a recent tweet and an accompanying press release. It’s unclear if this was the result of a direct negotiation been Tencent and Tequila, trades between independent stakeholders, or a combination of the two. However, statements from Tequila executives appear to suggest a direct agreement between the two companies.
According to CEO Raúl Rubio, the studio is approaching the limits of what it can accomplish without the support that only a larger company can offer. Rubio and the other Tequila Works executives seem to feel that Tencent will give Tequila Works the resources they need while still providing the studio the freedom to pursue the projects its developers are passionate about.
Rubio went on to praise Tencent, saying, “They’re a partner that can appreciate the value of top creative talent with originality as their banner.” He goes on to explain how Tencent respects Tequila Works' independence and added, “This partnership will allow us to focus on taking the original IPs we are known for to greater heights and create the best experiences we can dream of.” Tequila Works Chairwoman Luz Sancho expressed a similar sentiment. She assured fans that this is an opportunity for the studio to bring its games to a larger audience while maintaining the high level of care and passionTequila Works puts into its titles.
Pete Smith, the Vice President of Partnerships for Tencent Games Global, also issued a brief statement. He praised Tequila Works for the studio’s creativity and attention to detail and expressed thatTencent is excited to work with the studioon future projects. However, the press release didn’t go into detail about Tequila Work’s plans now that it is effectively a subsidiary of Tencent. Nor did it provide much insight into the background of Tencent’s investment offer.
The announcement was received with a decisively negative response from Tequila Work’s fans on Twitter. “Oh no,” reads the first comment on the Twitter thread. “You’re supposed to be one of the good devs,” another reply reads. A Spanish-speaking Twitter user even asked if this meant Tequila Works would be retracting its expression of support for Ukraine. This is, of course, in reference to Tencent’s close relationship with the Chinese government, which has been generally supportive of Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Of course, it would be alarmist to imply that Tequila Works is now an agent of the Chinese state. Even ignoring the political aspect, however, some observers might be worried byTencent’s rapid expansion over the last few years. It’s also reasonable for fans to question whether Tequila Works might lose some of its independence now that it’s tied to a large corporation like Tencent.
