Tencent Games executive Yong-yi Zhu described Larian and FromSoftware as “North Stars” because they show how a studio can build expertise and a distinctive identity over multiple releases. His remarks point to a long-term ambition to support teams that make progress toward category leadership—not a stated plan to copy Baldur’s Gate 3 or Elden Ring.
What Tencent means by “North Stars”
In an interview with The Game Business, Tencent Games vice president Yong-yi Zhu said the company looks for developers with a distinctive vision and a commitment to honing their craft. GamesRadar+ reported his comments on October 5, 2026, and quoted him describing Larian and FromSoftware as examples of studios that have stayed in particular genres and iterated over time. Read the GamesRadar+ report.
“North Stars” is therefore a development principle in Zhu’s account: look for teams with a clear creative direction, then work with them as they refine their skills and body of work. It does not mean that Tencent has announced a formula for making games like either studio’s best-known hit.
The studio paths Zhu cited
Zhu used different sequences to illustrate how the two studios built on experience. These are the examples he chose, not complete histories of either company.
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| Studio | Sequence Zhu cited | What it illustrates |
|---|---|---|
| Larian | Multiple Divinity games leading to Baldur’s Gate 3 | Developing expertise in role-playing games and refining the studio’s work across releases. |
| FromSoftware | Demon’s Souls, then Dark Souls, Bloodborne and finally Elden Ring | Iterating within a recognizable genre while delivering games with their own identities. |
The examples are not interchangeable templates. Zhu’s point was that both studios developed over time; he did not say they followed the same production process, or that their games share a single creative blueprint.
Tencent’s stated ambition for its studios
For Tencent’s internal teams, Zhu described a longer runway than a single release. “We want to work with you if you believe one day you can be the category leader in this particular genre,” he said. That could happen “today, two games from now, or three games from now, as long as we see that progress.” He called this “the long-term commitment.”
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That is a broad statement of intent, not a detailed public investment plan. Zhu did not specify which studios or genres would receive support, set a schedule, or promise that every team would get several releases. The condition he emphasized was visible progress toward a team’s ambition.
How this fits Tencent’s business approach
Zhu distinguished premium games, which may arrive every few years, from Tencent’s evergreen live-service portfolio. He said the continuing cadence of evergreen games provides some insulation from broader industry swings. That is his assessment of Tencent’s business, not an independently demonstrated guarantee against market downturns.
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He also described keeping teams smaller during early concepting and pre-production, which he characterized as the riskier stages of a project. The comments suggest an approach that limits exposure while an idea is still taking shape; Zhu did not give team-size targets or a universal staffing rule.
GamesRadar+ also reported that Tencent owns minority but significant shares in Larian and holds shares in Kadokawa, FromSoftware’s owner. Those reported stakes provide context for the “partnerships” Zhu discussed, but the report does not establish that Tencent controls either studio. The Game Business interview video is linked from the report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Tencent want to make the next Larian or FromSoftware?
The headline phrase can sound like a promise to reproduce Baldur’s Gate 3 or Elden Ring. Zhu’s quoted remarks support a narrower reading: Tencent wants to work with developers who have a specific vision, keep improving within a genre, and could become category leaders over time. His examples explain the kind of studio trajectory he admires; they do not establish a plan to clone either studio or game.
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