Tencent ceases operation of WeGame app as the digital game store failed to meet goal

Chinese social network and gaming giant Tencent has announced termination of the mobile app for its digital game store WeGame, as the company changed its business strategy amid cooling gaming market in China.

The WeGame app, as well as its in-app version on Tencent’s super app WeChat, will no longer be available from September 8 and user will not able to download the app from July 15 because of “changes in business development strategy”, WeGame said in a notice issued on Tuesday.

Launched in 2017 on mobile and PC as a rebranded version of Tencent Game Platform, the company’s original game distribution site, WeGame was originally positioned as a digital game distribution service, online game community and storefront similar to Steam.

However, WeGame has failed to develop an active gaming community due to lack of big titles. Chinese gamers have a mix feeling with WeGame. They love it because it’s a homegrown gaming platform, but they hate it because the platform is inflexible due to strict regulations.

The WeGame app has an “awkward positioning” in the market, said Zhang Yi, chief executive at iiMedia Research.

WeGame is sort of  unnecessary for the company because Tencent’s game products belong to various studios, each operated by their own personnel, budget, Zhang Yi said.