League of Legends Potential Ban in the US Due to Tencent
Riot fans in the United States are starting to worry about the possibility of League of Legends facing a ban in the country. This concern arose after Mobile Legends: Bang Bang decided to suspend its operations in America following the ban of TikTok. The US government’s crackdown on Chinese-owned tech companies, citing “national risks,” has put games like League of Legends at risk due to Riot’s connection to Tencent.
After the suspensions of MLBB and Marvel Snapped in the US, players are concerned that League of Legends could be next on the list. Riot, the developer of LoL, has strong ties to the Chinese tech giant Tencent, which also owns various other games and studios. With the US government tightening its restrictions on potential national risks, Chinese companies are facing scrutiny.
Tencent has already faced significant sanctions after being labeled a foreign military company by the US Department of Defense, leading to a decline in their stock value. The blacklist against Tencent could potentially lead to restrictions on the company’s operations in the US, which could result in bans on any entities associated with Tencent. This move would impact numerous gaming companies operating in the region, as many studios are linked to Tencent.
While it remains uncertain whether the ban on Tencent will come into effect, the possibility is looming following recent events linked to the TikTok ban. If implemented, this ban would impact popular games like League of Legends, Valorant, and Marvel Rivals, causing distress among thousands of gamers. The lack of clear information from lawmakers and government agencies adds to the uncertainty surrounding this issue.
US Government Crackdown on TikTok and ByteDance
The US government has taken strict measures against ByteDance, a Chinese tech giant with direct involvement in TikTok. Following the ban on the social media platform, players discovered that Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was no longer accessible, indicating that Moonton, the gaming company, was also affected. As a subsidiary of ByteDance, Moonton is implicated in the ban due to its ties with the Chinese tech giant.
The decision to ban ByteDance was motivated by concerns over national security and data privacy. The US government expressed apprehension regarding ByteDance’s potential risk to user data due to its connections with the Chinese government. While TikTok’s temporary shutdown left many devastated, the app returned online the following morning, bringing a glimmer of hope to League of Legends fans.