The developer behind Back 4 Blood has been acquired. Turtle Rock Studios now belongs to Tencent – has the game failed?
The release of Back 4 Blood was just a few months ago, the latest patch just 2 days ago. But now there is a major announcement. The developer behind Back 4 Blood has been sold. Is this a sign that the game flopped? Or is the opposite the case?
What happened? Turtle Rock Studios, the developers behind Back 4 Blood, but also formerly Evolve or the original Left 4 Dead, have been acquired by the Chinese company Tencent.
What does the developer say? Turtle Rock Studios immediately released a statement on their own homepage right after the deal – and it paints a significantly more positive picture than some in the community fear. Accordingly, the parent company Slamfire has been acquired by Tencent.
By joining the Tencent family, we not only gain access to their extensive resources and knowledge but we also have a partner who encourages us to act ambitiously and visionarily. Even though our company is being acquired, we will remain independent and continue to be led by our co-founders Phil Robb and Chris Ashton.
Furthermore, Turtle Rock Studios explains that 2021 has been a special year – the launch of Back 4 Blood and now the partnership with Tencent. It states:
We are expanding our team to support Back 4 Blood and create new, exciting multiplayer experiences. We will continue to communicate transparently via our Trello board about what we are working on and expand what makes Back 4 Blood so special. Additionally, we can do something we have never done before: transforming a universe we have created into a long-term AAA franchise. We can now guarantee that the ‘Back 4 Blood’ franchise is here to stay and will continue to evolve in the future.
The community is concerned: In the Subreddit of Back 4 Blood, the news is received with mixed feelings. Many fear that Back 4 Blood might have flopped and this was a good time for Tencent to purchase the studio. Some are also worried that the game will soon be flooded with micro-transactions.
Whether in the end everything turns out as positively as Turtle Rock describes in its statement remains to be seen. The fans’ concerns seem – at least at this moment – rather unfounded. Tencent is known for acquiring studios, but usually only intervenes when there are serious problems.
What do you think of this news? A good thing for Turtle Rock Studios? Or a clear sign that Back 4 Blood has flopped?
