Microsoft announced today a partnership with China's leading social networking and gaming services company Tencent that will bring Windows 10 as a free upgrade to its customers on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, as well as bring a universal Tencent applications to Windows 10.
PSA: Don't worry, Microsoft is also offering free upgrades to Windows 10 from Windows 7, 8.1 users elsewhere in the world.
Tencent will be bringing their flagship instant messaging platform, QQ, to Windows 10 first and will follow it up with their gaming portal application.
The types of games in the application will range from MMOs to 2D sidescrolling fantasy games to League of Legends. That's right, League of Legends. For those who didn't know, Tencent owns a majority of Riot Games with 92.78% equity interest and they even have a minority stake in Epic Games, the developers of Unreal games, Gears of War and Infinity Blade. The minority stake in Epic might open up conversation on bringing those games to the Windows 10 also.
Why bring League of Legends, a free-to-play game to the Windows 10 store? The same reason free-to-play games are on Steam, ease of access. It shows that Micrsoft wants Windows 10 to be a contender against Steam.
[Windows]
Catch me on Twitter @TatiMo_GZ
