Report: Trump administration reviews Tencent gaming investments over security concerns

• Tencent holds significant investments across Western game studios, including Riot Games and Epic Games.
• In 2016, Tencent acquired a majority stake in Supercell for about $8.6 billion.
• US officials are reviewing the scale and strategic implications of Tencent’s global gaming portfolio.

The White House is debating whether Tencent should be allowed to retain its stakes in major global video game companies as geopolitical tensions between the United States and China continue to shape technology policy.

As reported by Reuters, senior officials in Donald Trump's administration have held internal discussions about whether Tencent’s investments in Western game studios could pose national security concerns. 

The deliberations come ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to take place in China in April.

Government officials are reportedly assessing the scale and strategic implications of Tencent’s holdings across the games sector, particularly its investments in companies based in the United States and Europe.

Ownership across key studios

Tencent has numerous investments in studios across the globe. It owns League of Legends developer Riot Games and holds a minority stake in Fortnite creator Epic Games.

The Chinese conglomerate acquired a majority stake in Finnish developer Supercell in 2016 for about $8.6 billion. Tencent is also reportedly in talks to acquire a small stake in Hungry Studio, the developer behind the mobile puzzle hit Block Blast.

A cabinet-level meeting scheduled to review the issue was reportedly postponed due to scheduling conflicts.