Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11080 – SAVVY / TENCENT / YING / VSPN) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2023/C 256/13
Date: 2023-07-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: audiovisual industry, broadcasting, economic concentration, merger control, online game, software, sporting event








C_2023256EN.01001901.xml










21.7.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 256/19






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11080 – SAVVY / TENCENT / YING / VSPN)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2023/C 256/13)

1.   
On 14 July 2023, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following persons or undertakings:






—


Savvy Games Group (‘Savvy’, Saudi Arabia), wholly-owned by Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia,










—


Tencent Holdings Limited (‘Tencent’, China),










—


Ying Shuling (China), and










—


VSPN Group Limited (‘VSPN’, China), currently jointly controlled by Tencent and Ying Shuling.




Savvy, Tencent and Ying Shuling will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of VSPN.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the persons and undertakings concerned are the following:






—


Savvy: a games and eSports company active in the organisation and commercialisation of eSports events.










—


Tencent: a technology company with eSports activities including (i) developing and publishing video games, some of which are used in eSports tournaments and competitions; (ii) organising eSports events on its own games both through its own in-house event operations unit and through third-party eSports event operators; and (iii) providing live game streaming services that broadcast a range of eSports content.










—


Ying Shuling: the Chairman and founder of VSPN and Hero Games (a developer and publisher of games mainly active in China).










—


VSPN: an eSports solutions provider with activities including the organisation and commercialisation of eSports tournaments, influencer talent management, and related promotional activities.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.11080 – SAVVY / TENCENT / YING / VSPN
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.