Microsoft teams up with Tencent to launch League of Legends on Windows 10 [Updated]

Microsoft has announced that it is partnering with Chinese internet giant Tencent in launching the highly popular MOBA League of Legends, along with other games published by the company, including Cross Fire and Dungeon & Fighter, on the Windows 10 store. In addition, Tencent has mentioned that it will deliver the free upgrade to Windows 10 "available to as many Chinese consumers as possible, as soon as possible."

The media giant announced that its flagship app, QQ, will be a universal app in Windows 10, and that it is collaborating with Microsoft in launching more Windows 10-based initiatives, including "additional universal apps."

Tencent, the leading social networking and gaming services company in China, announced it will offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade to its customers on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 in China, and include QQ, Tencent Video and Tencent PC Manager in the Windows 10 free upgrade pack. Tencent will create a Windows 10 universal app for their flagship QQ app, which has over 800 million customers in China, and bring their most popular PC games, such as "League of Legends," "Cross Fire" and "Dungeon & Fighter" to Windows 10 and the new Windows store.

How many of you are itching to get on some MOBA action with Windows 10?

Update: The announcement stirred up a lot of comments regarding a possible port of League of Legends on mobile platforms. In an email statement, Riot Games has revealed that this will not be the case:

Today's announcement mentioning League of Legends has generated a lot of speculation in the LoL player community. We'd like to clarify that our focus is on making sure League plays great on Mac and PC. No plans for console, mobile or other platforms at this time.

Source: Windows Blog

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia for Android Central, Windows Central's sister site. When not reviewing phones, he's testing PC hardware, including video cards, motherboards, gaming accessories, and keyboards.

87 Comments

Cool!
Cool !
That's strategy my friends
Lol will ne nice
Whoa 800mil?? This could be the breakthrough W10 needs
Windows 10 should be a gaming hub of all best games played by gamers. The time can come where Microsoft can buy steam and their api called vulkan.
This isn't going to happen. Valve is a private company and it is simply not in their interests to be owned by MS (especially with SteamOS). Also, Gabe Newell (CEO) left MS to start Valve.
I understand your point. But I dont understand Valve being assholes like Google not making app on Windows phones when the MAJORITY of people are playing the games on STEAM which is installed on WINDOWS on PC ! Basically majority of valve income is coming from Steam installed on MICROSOFT PLATFORM. Ironic isnt it ? So why would they care so much not to develop steam app for WP? I dont understand them.
It had a lot to do with Microsoft pushing for a closed market for windows. Killing legacy programs in the long run and moving everything towards an "app" in their app store. This would have hurt steam alot. Its a big part of why Gabe became so anti windows 8.
I dont understand what you mean by closed market and killing legacy programs. Can you elaborate more and be more specific?
well, What I can gather is if you see things in the Windows Store you have to give 30% of the payment tranaction to Microsoft for presenting and delivering the app. Value wants to have control over their own store and not give any of their profits to Microsoft. So I understand why Steam would dislike the deal. Even I would recomend Value not to go with the deal. Its all about the Money.
What are you talking about? I am talking about Valve not making STEAM APP on Windows phone which is completely free. So what profits are you talking about? They will just annoy Windows phone users for not making app on that platform which is completely irrational when they deliver it on the same platform on PC. LOL
95% of Steam users run Windows last time I looked...
You mean a Steam app like in iOS to buy games for pc and talk with friends or a "full" steam app where you can buy and play games? If you mean the second option it's not possible... first in WP in can buy/install games/apps only trough the windows store... and second the games on steam are "legacy apps" that don't runs on ARM processors
I didnt meant any gaming on phone regarding steam app. I am not aware if you can buy games through steam on phone but if so I am pretty sure you can only play them when you log into your steam on PC right? I am talking about steam client app so you can login to your steam account through your mobile and message your friends or trade items from games with them or just look at someones profile when you need to. How would that hurt them?
As you pointed out, Steam is a parasite. I'm glad Microsoft is finally brining Xbox to Windows 10 (PCs, tablets, and phones) so that people can abandon Steam and use Xbox instead.
Valve will never be sold to Microsoft. If anyone.
Valve will most likely partner up with MS to bring games to Xbox one or release Xbox games on steam. Talk is already happening.
Vulkan is the OpenGL replacement jointly developed by the Khronos Group, Microsoft is part of that. So no, they are not buying Vulkan, or Valve for that matter as they have no reason to sell.
WOW! That's great! I meant "World of Wonder" not "World of Warcraft"
LoL (League of Legend) xD
Microsoft got it wrong, gamers do not play lol, they play dota
The most play League ;p
Well... A lot of Chinese play lol(lol)
DotA 2 for me and im sold..
dota is crap compared to league, and most dont play dota as you can tell by the painfully long game queues
Learn how to deny your own minion then you can call"dota is crap" :)
.as per my observation, LOL is a game very much inspired by DotA 1, or a copy i must say?..
In 2015 when we say dota, its dota 2 by steam.
you guys play a game, where you can totally ignore an enemy sit under a tower and farm your own creeps. How stupid is that.
they play League. most in US. Dota is popular here in Malaysia. but I chose to pick LoL as my MOBA preferences.
Most of the people can not handle or play dota so they go for lol
Most people in dota think they can play Moba and thats why they flame about LoL and say they are playing Dota. But in real life they do suck in both games
Most people want to enjoy their games, because they have busy lives. If you have no life and still want to be bitter, go play dota2, that way you wont enjoy the game and can brag how miserable your gaming life is.
When does WP forum become dota vs league , lol ...
Actually LoL has 24% of the online player base, highest esport viewer ship. Tecent owns LoL so only make sense to bring one the product to the Win10
No, gamers cry at what the MOBA community has done to gaming. Fucking spoiled brats that don't know the meaning of "let the meta settle" and sportsmanship.
Most people I know play none of them. Because boring
LoL is the world's most played game.
Don't worry dota will follw the likes ;)
This means you will be able to play league of legends on xbox one?
And on Phone? :D
Woo no boring traintrips! Xd
Indeed! Don't mind half the world getting a 100 GB data plan for this ;p
So, maybe Xbox one?
I thought this too. Surely it will mean that it's coming to Xbox One if the Win10 games and apps will run on Xbox One? Hmmm...?
Oh, sorry I guess I should read the other comments thoroughly first
Woohoo! No more Server region limitation!
More noobs and trolls ?
wow great news great game!
Pls no LoL -_-
Some very interesting deals MS is making here. Build and E3 suddenly look alot more interesting(not that they weren't before mind you).
Awesome! Lets hope we get to see a lot more games, which run on phone as well. It'll help us attract new users.
Sh*t just got even serious. Seems like Microsoft is starting to devour every mobile device in the market (which is good) by partnering to every possible company (which is, then again, good). Their full attention to the mobile device sector would only happen (as I see) after the Windows 10 software has paved a road for the windows phone. But hey, I could be wrong as well.
I heard that 50% of Windows users in China are cracked Windows, can they upgrade that Windows 10 as well?
Yeah, to a cracked version :p
YES, MS just announced they will give free upgrade to windows 10 for genuine as well as non genuine copies. I think its a long term strategy!
What does Tencent has to do with League of legends?
I asked myself the same question. Then I read this - On 18 February 2011, Tencent acquired a majority equity interest in Riot Games, developer of League of Legends, for about USD 230 million. Tencent had already 22.34% of the equity interest out of a previous investment in 2008. The Tencent group now owns 92.78% equity interest of Riot Games. They basically own Riot.
http://www.riotgames.com/articles/20110204/147/tencent-acquires-majority...
Gimme steam credit with win 10 and I'm sold. Im such a cheapskate T_T
Yessssssssssssss
Gooood now that you got them on board start working hard and fast on keeping them
I was so upset when the latest league of legends patch didn't update for windows 10 preview. I need to play my ranked matches!!
Seeing how League of Legends doesn't even work on Windows 10 atm I find this article amusing lol
LoL?? why this kids game?? Instead of HoN.... omfg
lets speak numbers what percentage of marketshare usage does w10 needs to reach in the first year ti be called a succsess ?
Considering it's a free update 300 million PCs in a year + 120 million phones + 40 million Xbox One's.
There'll be no stopping the Windows 10 juggernaut folks!
If lol would be playable on 1520 it would be wonderful
Microsoft should bring their older games like age of empires 1,2,3 to Windows stores, and make it free. No one is buying it anymore anyway.
Now we want desktop app store in windows 10 having enriched with powerful legacy programs made in past for windows
What's a MOBA? Massive Online Boring Adventure?
Ohhhhhhh Carlos! What a zinger!
XBOX? Maybe :)
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Sorry ,but what is QQ?
Finally!!! Tired of all the invites from friends to play this.
Yes qq apps
Uh, Riot owns LOL, not this Chinese company...
Tencent owns riot and epic games.. Meaning, they own LOL :) Btw--> http://www.riotgames.com/articles/20110204/147/tencent-acquires-majority...
Cool! But I play Dota 2
LOL on a Surface 2 would be damn cool even though I don't own one. EDIT: Although I dont think surface 2 is getting Win10.
Hopefully RT devices will still run apps from the "Windows 10 Store" I don't see why they wouldn't. They are all RunTime apps.
EPIC WIN!
As long as it doesn't ruin the gameplay cuz my Surface Pro runs LoL pretty smoothly
It's cool but they should fix the game before publishing it on the store. It crashes badly on Windows 10 TP, it's just unplayable.

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