ByteDance, TikTok’s parent firm, according to media reports, has launched significant layoffs inside its gaming section, generating uncertainty for many Nuverse employees. The gaming department, Nuverse, is reportedly being significantly downsized after two years of poor success.
“We routinely assess our ventures and make adaptations to focus on long-term strategic growth areas. Following a recent evaluation, we’ve made the challenging decision to restructure our gaming business,” a spokesperson for ByteDance quoted in the reports.
According to insiders, ByteDance will halt active gaming development and would most likely sell existing gaming titles within Nuverse. The online card game “Marvel Snap,” produced by the US-based studio Second Dinner, is the outstanding game from Nuverse. Other titles include “One Piece: The Voyage” and “Crystal of Atland.”
In a $4 billion agreement, ByteDance acquired the Shanghai-based gaming company Moonton Technology. Moonton Technology is well-known for “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang,” a mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game released in July 2016. According to media sources, ByteDance is looking into selling Moonton.
Meanwhile, TikTok is still prohibited in India. TikTok was banned in India in June 2020, citing national security concerns following a military war with China. This move paved the way for Instagram to capture a sizable portion of the industry, while some TikTok clones quickly emerged as serious challengers in the newly available market.
