China’s Tencent Holdings has forked out for a majority stake in mobile and web game publisher Miniclip, with the aim of expanding its European presence.

While the terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, Switzerland-based Miniclip was keen to stress to VentureBeat how buoyed it is to partner with the world’s largest game company.

“To say that we are excited about having Tencent as a majority investor in Miniclip would be an understatement,” enthused Miniclip CEO Robert Small.

“This will empower us to do even more of what we do best, which is making great games.”

East to West

It’s the latest in a string of mobile investment deals coloured with a global focus that have been a feature of 2015 so far.

Tencent also recently invested in US midcore developer Hammer & Chisel, invested into the US  developer of the Dots game, not to mention an investment in Korean outfit 4:33 Creative Lab.

This latest deal is particularly of interest, since it involves the highest-grossing public game company in the world with a European company that boasts 70 million monthly active users.

It’s unclear whether this deal means that developers working with Miniclip to publish their games will now be able to open the door into the Chinese market, but a statement from Tencent’s senior VP Steven Ma certainly hints at the possibility.

“Miniclip has a strong track record in developing hit titles with long life span and universal appeal,” he said.

“We look forward to collaborating with Miniclip to deliver more exciting and enjoyable game experiences to fans worldwide.”