Tencent wants to help Stellaris developer Paradox break into China

Chinese internet giant Tencent has picked up a 5 percent stake in strategy specialist Paradox with a view to helping the publisher gain a foothold in China. 

Tencent has been allocated 5.28 million shares at a price of 33 SEK ($3.96 USD) per share, which equates to a 5 percent stake in the Swedish company. 

Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester and investment firm Spiltan will remain key shareholders, with respective stakes of 33.3 percent and 30.5 percent. 

Tencent says it will work with Paradox -- whose most recent release, Stellaris, became the company’s fastest selling game ever -- to built out strategy, simulation, and story-driven RPG fan bases in China.

"As China’s game market further develops, players will advance to more sophisticated and complex genres such as grand strategy and simulation games," said Steven Ma, head of games publishing at Tencent.

"I have spent many hours in Hearts of Iron 2, and believe our rich social resources can help Paradox build up loyal fan bases in China."

According to recent reports, Tencent is also preparing a takeover bid for Clash of Clans developer, Supercell, and is hoping to purchase Softbank’s 73.2 percent stake in the mobile behemoth.