The Chinese gaming giant Tencent Games is planning a competitor to Steam: the platform WeGame. This could perhaps be the gateway for western players to Chinese online games like Lost Ark or Monster Hunter Online.
Fans of online games have been looking longingly at China and Asia more and more in recent years. Many interesting online games, especially those developed in South Korea, remain in China and fail to make the leap to Europe and North America.
Top Asian games that are still in development have no great ambitions for a west port: For many games from South Korea, currently China and Russia are more exciting than Germany, France, or the USA. This applies to “Bless Online“: the last major AAA MMORPG of its generation is supposed to come to Europe, but first, it goes to Russia.
For games like “Kingdom under Fire II”, the same principle applies – China first, Europe much later.
Many would like to play Monster Hunter Online or Lost Ark in Europe
Among the most sought-after games are:
“Monster Hunter Online” – an MMO version of the popular monster hunt. It has been out in China for a while, but an “English patch” has always failed, and a west release is not planned
The Diablo-like Lost ARK is still “only in development”, but here too, a west port does not seem to be at the top of the priority list.
But now there is hope. The Chinese gaming giant Tencent Games (“the king of copycats”) has announced the platform WeGame. It is a similar platform to Valve’s Steam. WeGame is also supposed to operate worldwide.
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Fans speculate: WeGame could be the gateway for these Chinese games to the west
The idea behind such platforms is to create a connection between players and developers. Players should be able to buy games on such platforms and feel at home. Officially, “WeGame” is only being introduced today. So we still know few details.
Fans of Chinese MMOs are currently hoping that Tencent now has an interest in spreading such Chinese games worldwide and also bringing them to Europe through “WeGame”.
This could allow WeGame to create niche competition against the dominant Steam.
Currently, however, this is still speculation. We will keep you updated.
Some games now “China-exclusive” on WeGame, no longer on Steam China
Update 3 PM: WeGame has now been officially introduced. But it was only about the plans for the Chinese market. Tencent has now committed some “big franchises” exclusively. Games like Rocket League, Paragon, Paladins, or Cities: Skylines are no longer available on Steam China, but only on WeGame.
However, there is currently no information on the global implications of WeGame. So there are no news available that affect us here in Europe.
