ByteDance is engaged in advanced talks to divest Shanghai Moonton Technology, the creator of the widely played mobile title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, to Savvy Games Group of Saudi Arabia in a deal valued between $6 billion and $7 billion, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations.
One of those sources said the transaction could be finalized as early as this quarter. The second source confirmed that the two companies have reached an initial understanding on the broad terms of the potential sale. Both individuals declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter.
Representatives for ByteDance, Moonton and Savvy Games did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This report marks the first public disclosure of the potential deal value and the suggested timeline. If completed, the sale would come amid heightened acquisition activity in the videogame industry, where buyers are pursuing durable intellectual property, expertise in live-service business models and sizable online player communities.
The parties involved have reportedly moved beyond preliminary talks and settled on core terms, though the unnamed sources did not provide additional details on structure, financing or any regulatory steps required to complete the transaction. The timeline supplied by one source suggests a near-term closing is possible, but no definitive date was offered.
The wider videogame sector has seen firms compete to secure established franchises and operational know-how that supports ongoing monetization through live services and community engagement. This proposed transaction would add to those industry dynamics by transferring a recognizable mobile franchise and the studio that operates it to a strategic buyer from Saudi Arabia.
Because the individuals speaking about the deal requested anonymity, and because the companies involved have not issued public statements in response to enquiries, several details about deal mechanics and approvals remain unspecified at this time.