Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group is set to acquire game developer MoonTon from the Chinese company ByteDance. ByteDance is the parent company of the popular mobile app TikTok, while its subsidiary MoonTon is best known for the hit title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The acquisition is reported to value over US$6 million. The agreement between ByteDance and Savvy Games was confirmed on 20 March 2026, with the former stating that the final deal value stands at $6.75 billion.
Savvy Games Group operates under Public Investment Fund (PIF) and is said to play a key role in Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to diversify its economy and expand its presence in the global gaming industry.
Building a successful gaming franchise typically requires years of investment and development. However, this acquisition instantly gives Savvy Games control of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, a massively popular MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game with over 1.5 billion downloads and around 110 million monthly active users worldwide as per news reports.
ByteDance originally acquired MoonTon in 2021 and has since shifted significant focus toward artificial intelligence, maintaining one of the largest AI research teams among Chinese tech companies.
MoonTon CEO Zhang Yunfan stated in an internal letter, as cited by Reuters, that the company’s leadership structure will remain unchanged and that he will continue to head the Shanghai-based studio.
Meanwhile, Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward said the acquisition would strengthen their position in mobile gaming and further grow their presence in esports.
