Story of Seasons mobile game cancelled as Marvelous cuts six-year Tencent partnership
Marvelous has announced the termination of its six-year partnership with Tencent, resulting in the cancellation of a Story of Seasons mobile game that had been in development for seven years. The Chinese investment firm, through Hong Kong-based subsidiary Image Frame Investment, had acquired a 20 percent stake in Marvelous in May 2020 for approximately $65 million, making it the company’s largest shareholder.
The board-approved decision, announced on July 31st, ends a relationship that began when the mobile game’s licensing agreement was first established in March 2019. Tencent cited changing business conditions as the reason for the cancellation, though specific details remain limited.
This development represents a significant pullback in Tencent’s international gaming investments and highlights the challenges facing cross-cultural gaming partnerships. The cancellation means players will not receive this long-awaited mobile spin-off of the beloved farming simulation franchise, which continues to thrive through mainline console releases and the related Rune Factory series, also published by Marvelous. The termination signals potential shifts in how major Chinese investors approach Western gaming ventures.