ByteDance Shifts US Publishing to Skystone in Major Overhaul

• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and other popular titles are transitioning to a new publisher.
• In the US, ByteDance will no longer be responsible for publishing these games.
• Skystone Games, a US-based company, has stepped in to manage these titles, introducing new region-specific versions.

One of the most significant developments in mobile gaming this year was the ripple effect caused by the TikTok ban. While the ban itself sparked widespread debate, in the mobile gaming community, the focus was on the abrupt removal of top games like Marvel Snap and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang from app stores. This move was part of a larger political effort to pressure ByteDance into divesting from TikTok.

Although TikTok has since returned to the app stores, many of the affected games did not experience such a swift comeback. Marvel Snap, for instance, quickly sought and found a new publisher in Skystone Games, which now oversees virtually all of ByteDance's US-published games.

Touch the skyThe unexpected entanglement of mobile gaming in political maneuvers was certainly not anticipated. However, for gamers, this shift to Skystone Games is a positive development. It ensures continued access to their favorite titles, either as usual or through new US-specific versions.

Yet, this solution is not without its drawbacks. The use of our beloved games as pawns in political games is unsettling for everyone involved.

As the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok approaches, the political handling of apps and its impact on related game titles will continue to be a critical issue. The precedent set by these events could have far-reaching consequences for similar situations in the future.