Marvelous Ends Tencent Partnership, Cancels Story of Seasons Mobile

Marvelous has officially confirmed the end of its strategic partnership with Tencent, marking the conclusion of a collaboration that began in 2020. According to reports, Tencent will step down as one of Marvelous’ major shareholders, with company founder Hayao Nakayama becoming the largest shareholder following the restructuring.

One of the biggest consequences of the split is the cancellation of Story of Seasons Mobile, the long-awaited mobile adaptation of the beloved farming simulation franchise. Originally announced in 2019 and later opened for pre-registration in 2021, the project had remained largely silent in recent years before Marvelous officially confirmed its cancellation.

Marvelous stated that the decision aligns with the company’s revised business strategy and long-term profitability goals. Despite ending development on the mobile title, the company clarified that existing publishing, distribution, and regional service agreements with Tencent will remain in place.

While Marvelous did not provide further details regarding the reasons behind the separation, industry observers have speculated that broader business restructuring and changing market conditions may have influenced the decision. Some discussions have also pointed to the increasingly complicated business climate between Japan and China, although no official statement has linked the move to political factors.

Story of Seasons Mobile was designed as a 3D farming life simulation developed through a collaboration between Marvelous and Tencent, bringing the popular farming franchise to smartphones. With the project’s cancellation, fans hoping to experience the series on mobile will unfortunately have to wait and see whether Marvelous revisits the idea in the future.

 Origin: Gamebiz