Bloomberg: Tencent is in talks for a potential acquisition of the South Korean gaming company Nexon and has engaged with the founding family

ChainCatcher news, citing sources from Bloomberg, reports that Tencent Holdings Limited is exploring a potential acquisition of the South Korean gaming company Nexon. The company has already reached out to the family of the late founder Kim Jung-ju to discuss the possibility of a purchase. It is reported that the Kim family is consulting with advisors to evaluate various options.

According to sources, it is currently unclear how willing NXC is to sell its stake in Nexon, and there is no guarantee that Tencent's negotiations will lead to a deal, with the specific transaction structure still not finalized. Tencent representatives did not respond to requests for comment, and both Nexon and NXC declined to comment.

Nexon, known for role-playing games such as "MapleStory," was founded in 1994 and completed the largest tech IPO at the time in Japan in 2011. Its Tokyo-listed stock has risen over 10% this year, with a market capitalization of approximately $15 billion. Tencent attempted to acquire Nexon in 2019 but was unsuccessful; the two companies previously collaborated on Tencent's significant revenue-generating game "Dungeon & Fighter."