Trump administration could ban Fortnite and League of Legends in the US?

After the recent suspension of Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat in the United States, speculations are rife that a ban could also be imposed on popular online multiplayer games like Fortnite and League of Legends. It should be noted that both the video games are among the biggest titles in the country and enjoy a massive fan base.

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Is Trump imposing a League of Legends and Fortnite ban in the US?

US President Donald Trump may impose a ban on both Epic Games' Fortnite and Riot Games' League of Legends, after the suspension of the two popular Chinese-based apps in the US. According to a Bloomberg report, Epic Games and Riot Games are two of the gaming studios who have been asked by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to provide details about how they gather and handle data for users based in America. The move is actually part of an effort to stop Chinese-linked apps and video games from collecting the private details of American users.

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For those unaware, both Epic Games and Riot Games are linked with Tencent. The Chinese conglomerate completely owns Riot Games and holds a 40 per cent stake in Epic Games. However, if the reports sent by both the gaming studios are favourable, it is likely that Fortnite and LOL won't have to face any suspensions.

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Games like Fortnite and League of Legends aren't the only major titles at risk, popular games like Valorant could also be affected as it is also published by Riot Games. It is also worth pointing out that Tencent Holdings is one of the biggest gaming companies in the world right now and it continues to expand its control within the gaming industry. The Chinese conglomerate has been investing in some of the top gaming companies worldwide with stakes in companies such as Bluehole, Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Supercell and others.

After the suspension of TikTok and WeChat in the US, the government had released a statement saying the decision will eventually impact any company associated with Tencent, although it was soon clarified that it doesn't apply to game companies.

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Image credits: Epic Games