Soft-World Valuation Multiples

Microsoft is an American technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington that sells software, cloud computing services, devices and games to consumers, businesses and governments. It was founded on 4 April 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen and has been led by chief executive Satya Nadella since February 2014. Its products include the Windows operating system, the Microsoft 365 productivity suite, the Azure cloud platform, the Copilot AI assistant, Xbox consoles and games, the LinkedIn professional network, the GitHub developer platform and the Bing search engine. In the fiscal year to 30 June 2026 revenue rose 18% to $331.8 billion, operating income reached $155.2 billion and net income $133.7 billion; Azure revenue passed $100 billion for the first time and Microsoft 365 Copilot exceeded 30 million paid seats. The company earns money from cloud subscriptions and consumption, software licences, advertising, and hardware and game sales, and employs about 223,000 people. Major acquisitions include LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in 2016 and Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in 2023, and it is a major investor in OpenAI under a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar partnership announced in January 2023.

Tencent is the world’s largest game publisher, with top-grossing mobile hits like Honor of Kings and Peacekeeper Elite and a steady pipeline of new titles. It also operates WeChat—China’s super-app with roughly 1.3 billion users—embedded in daily life for messaging, short video, mini programs, payments, and shopping. Beyond its own platforms, Tencent is a prolific strategic investor, holding stakes in leading internet companies such as PDD, Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu.

Founded in the late 1990s as an internet portal, NetEase has evolved into China’s second-largest online gaming company. Its early success was anchored by the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Fantasy Westward Journey, which laid the foundation for a durable franchise strategy. Over the past decade, the company has expanded its portfolio with successful titles such as Justice, Identity V, Naraka: Bladepoint, and Eggy Party, all of which continue to maintain sizable and engaged player bases.In addition to its in-house development capabilities, NetEase partners with global IP holders such as Microsoft and Marvel to develop and publish titles based on established franchises, including World of Warcraft, Diablo Immortal, and Marvel Rivals, further strengthening its global presence.

Nintendo started its video game console business in 1983 by launching the NES, and started its portable console business in 1989 by launching the Game Boy. Since then, the firm has focused on expanding the gaming population by delivering unique entertainment experiences on its original console systems. However, Nintendo not only makes game consoles, but also owns world-renowned IPs such as Super Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda, which have been a source of cash flow for 40 years.

Sea started as a gaming business, Garena, but in 2015 expanded into e-commerce. Sea operates Southeast Asia's largest e-commerce company, Shopee, in terms of gross merchandise value. Shopee is a hybrid consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer marketplace platform operating in Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brazil. For Garena, Free Fire is the key revenue-generating game. Sea’s third business, Monee, provides lending, payment, digital banking, and insurance services. As of March 2025, Forrest Li, the founder, chair, and CEO, owned 59.1% of the voting power. Tencent owned 18.5% of issued shares with no voting power.

Take-Two is one of the largest global developers and publishers of video games, with labels including Rockstar, 2K, and Zynga. Grand Theft Auto is the firm's biggest franchise, accounting for about 30% of total sales for the past decade. NBA 2K is the industry's dominant basketball video game, with Take-Two releasing a new version annually. Other notable franchises include Red Dead Redemption, Borderlands, and Civilization. Typically, more than three-fourths of the firm's sales are from in-game spending, with the remainder coming from initial game sales. Since acquiring Zynga in 2022, mobile makes up about half of total sales.

Roblox operates a free-to-play online video game platform with nearly 125 million daily active users. This platform has spawned a virtual universe and a Roblox economy based on the Robux currency. The platform houses millions of games from a wide range of creators—spanning from young gamers themselves to professional development studios. Roblox offers creators the tools, publishing abilities, and platform for their games, enabling anyone to create a game. Creators earn money when gamers make optional in-game purchases within their games and by offering space for real-world advertising, and Roblox earns revenue primarily by taking a cut of these earnings.

Konami is a Japanese video game and entertainment company best known for its eFootball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Powerful Pro Baseball, and Metal Gear franchises. It operates four business divisions—digital entertainment, amusement, gaming and systems, and sports. Overseas sales account for the majority of the company’s revenue.

Nexon is a South Korean online game developer and publisher, founded in 1994 in Korea by Kim Jung-ju. In 2005, the company moved its headquarters to Tokyo, Japan, and has operations in Korea, the US, Taiwan, and Thailand. The company’s most notable franchises are MapleStory, Dungeon & Fighter, Sudden Attack, and KartRider. Nexon has been the publisher for EA’s FC Online game franchise in Korea and Japan since 2013. Nexon acquired an independent game developer, Embark Studios AB, located in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2019.

Zhejiang Century Huatong Group Co Ltd is a China-based company engaged in three main businesses: Internet games, auto parts manufacturing, and artificial intelligence cloud data, as well as brain science research, artificial intelligence, metaverse platform and application development and investment.

Capcom was founded in 1979, originally an arcade game producer, but gradually transitioned to focus on producing console games, with the popularization of console gaming throughout the years. Capcom is currently one of the top video game producers in the world, with several long-lived popular series Resident Evil (since 1996), Monster Hunter (since 2004) and Streetfighter (since 1987). It was the top highly reviewed game publisher in 2019 and 2023 in Metacritic’s Annual Game Publisher Rankings. It also runs several side businesses including arcade operations, slot machines and e-sports.

Kunlun Tech Co Ltd engages in the development and distribution of online games in China. It also operates software application stores. The company develops and distributes web games, social games, mobile games, and software applications. Geographically, the company distributes its products in domestic and overseas markets.

International Games System Co Ltd plans, designs, researches, develops, manufactures, markets, and services commercial electronic arcade games, related software and hardware products, online games and mobile games. It offers arcade game, online game, mobile game, simulator machine games and online games. All the business activity is operated through Taiwan. There are two segments namely: Arcade game division, which derives maximum revenue and Online game division.

Square Enix is a Japanese video game publisher and entertainment company that was formed in 2003 through the merger between Square and Enix. The company is best known for its role-playing game franchises such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, and Nier. The company also operates publishing, merchandise, and amusement businesses.

CD Projekt Red SA is engaged in developing and publishing video games for personal computers and latest-generation consoles. The studio's flagship titles include The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077.

Krafton Inc is a South Korea-based game developer and publisher engaged in creating and distributing PC, mobile, and console games. Its activities also extend to game software services, mobile app development, video content production, and related investment and consulting work. The company manages multiple studios, including PUBG Studio, Bluehole, RisingWings, Striking Distance Studios, Dreamotion, and Unknown Worlds, and is known for titles such as PUBG: Battlegrounds, New State Mobile, BGMI, Defense Derby, The Callisto Protocol, Ronin: The Last Samurai, Road to Valor, Moonbreaker, and Subnautica.

Giant Network Group Co Ltd is engaged in Internet culture and entertainment business, research and development and operation of Internet games, and other Internet business.

Bilibili is a Chinese online entertainment platform best known for its YouTube-like video-sharing service. Founded in 2009, it initially focused on long-form content centered around anime, comics, and gaming, or ACG, catering primarily to Generation Z users. Over time, the platform has expanded its content ecosystem to cover a broader range of interests, successfully attracting a more diverse audience beyond its original Gen Z base.

37 Interactive Entertainment Network Technology Group Co Ltd is involved in the interactive entertainment business, mainly focused on the research, development, publishing, and operation of mobile games and browser games, while arranging the pan-entertainment business, including film and TV, animation, and music. Its operating segments include the Mobile Gaming business and the Web Game business.

Kingnet Network Co Ltd is a Chinese-based online game company. The company's main business covers research and development as well as the operation and publishing of quality entertainment content, including mobile games, web games, and PC games. It also engages in the operation of web game platforms and mobile app distribution platforms.

Kingsoft Corp Ltd is a Chinese software and Internet services company. The company's operating segment includes entertainment software and others and office software and services. It generates maximum revenue from the entertainment software and others segment. The entertainment software and others segment is engaged in the research and development of games, and the provision of online games, mobile games and casual game services. Geographically, it derives a majority of revenue from Mainland China, and also has its presence in Hong Kong, and Other Countries.

Sega Sammy Holdings was established as a holding company in 2004, when video game developer Sega and pachislot and pachinko vendor Sammy were merged. The company generates the majority of its sales revenue from entertainment content and the pachislot and pachinko machine business, which contributed 75% and 23% of total revenue in fiscal 2024, respectively. It also operates gaming-related businesses on a limited scale, contributing 2% of revenue in fiscal 2024.

Micro-Star International Co Ltd is a manufacturer and distributor of computer hardware products, particularly gaming laptops and hardware. Its other products include laptops, motherboards, graphics cards, all-in-one PCs, mobile workstations, barebone computers, servers, multimedia peripherals to vehicle infotainment solutions, smart cleaning robots, and Wi-Fi cameras.

Oriental Pearl Group Co Ltd operates a media integration and distribution platform in China. The various business units of the company comprise Channel Products Operation, Video Shopping, and E-Commerce, Culture and Entertainment Themed Tourism, Mobile Transmissions and Video Games among others.

JOYY Inc is a technology company. The Company operates several social products, including Bigo Live for live streaming, Likee for short-form videos, Hago for multiplayer social networking, an instant messaging product, and others. The Company operates through two segments: BIGO and All other. The BIGO segment consists of several social entertainment platforms, including Bigo Live, Likee, imo, and others. The All other segment consist of Hago, Shopline, and certain audio live streaming platforms.

Talkweb Information System Co Ltd is a provider of software and hardware integrated products and solutions in China. It offers software cloud services, intelligent computing, Hongmeng ecology, and mobile games. The company provides services to approx. 31 provincial-level administrative regions across the country and more than 10 overseas countries. It focuses on key areas and industries such as digital government, intelligent manufacturing, intelligent transportation, intelligent education, and intelligent parks.

G-bits Network Technology (Xiamen) Co Ltd develops video games and other multiplayer online games. It offers client, Web, mobile, and VR games. Geographically, it operates through the region of China.

Koei Tecmo Holdings is a Japanese video game, amusement, and anime company created in 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo, best known for their Nobunaga’s Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Nioh, and Atelier game franchises. The company also creates games based on third-party franchises, such as Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda and Fire Emblem, and Kodansha’s Attack on Titan.

NC Corp is a South Korean video-game developer and publisher. Its games include Lineage, Blade & Soul and Guild Wars.

XD Inc is an investment holding company. It is principally engaged in the development, operation, publishing and distribution of mobile and web games and operation of TapTap, a game community and platform. Its operating segments are game segment, offers game publishing and operating services on its own and via other Distribution Channels. Revenues from the game segment are mainly derived from game publishing and operating services. The TapTap platform segment offers online marketing services to game developers, game publishers, or their agents through the group's self-developed primary game community and platform. It generates majority of revenue from Game segment. Geographically majority of revenue comes from Chinese mainland.

Netmarble Corp is an online gaming company in South Korea. Its core business include game development and game publishing throughout the world. Some of its games include Tera M, FishingStrike, Raven, Seven Knights, among others.

Alpha Group (Alpha Group Co., Ltd., 奥飞娱乐) is a Chinese animation, toy and entertainment company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since September 2009 under code 002292. It was founded in December 1993 by Cai Dongqing as Auldey Toys and later traded as Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture before adopting its current name in 2016; its headquarters is in the Chenghai district of Shantou, Guangdong. The company creates and licenses animated IP, producing animated films and television series and distributing them through its media businesses, and it designs, manufactures and sells toys and building-block sets linked to its characters. Subsidiaries include Auldey Toys, Creative Power Entertaining, Alpha Pictures and Korea's David Toys and Entertainment and it has developed video games. Revenue comes from toy sales, IP licensing and content distribution. Cai Dongqing is chairman and general manager.

Embracer Group AB is a parent company of businesses led by entrepreneurs in PC, console, mobile, and board games and other related media. The Group has an extensive catalog of several owned or controlled franchises and has a presence in various regions through its operative groups, namely THQ Nordic, Plaion, Coffee Stain, Amplifier Game Invest, and others. Its operating segments are: PC/Console Games, Mobile Games, and Entertainment & Services. Maximum revenue is derived from the Entertainment & Services segment, which is engaged in the development, publishing, and distribution of comic books, wholesale of publishing titles of games for console and PC, as well as films, and externally distributes films and TV series. Geographically, the Group generates maximum revenue from the USA.

Nazara Technologies Ltd is a mobile game company in India. The company has offerings across the interactive gaming, eSports, ad-tech, and gamified early learning ecosystems including World Cricket Championship (WCC) and CarromClash in mobile games, Kiddopia in gamified early learning, Nodwin, PublishMe and Sportskeeda in eSports and eSports media, OpenPlay, Halaplay and Qunami in skill-based, fantasy and trivia games, and Datawrkz in digital ad tech. The company's segment includes Gaming; eSports; and Ad tech. It generates maximum revenue from the eSports segment. Geographically, it derives a majority of its revenue from the USA.

Yoozoo Interactive Co Ltd is a game-based interactive entertainment company. The company implements the strategies of big data, globalization, and quality products to achieve integrated development across four major areas namely globalized game research and development and publishing, IP management, big data and intelligent technology, and pan-entertainment industry investment. It operates using a 'film-game integration' model to deliver a series of products such as films, games, cartoons, fiction, and commercial property, building a globalized ecosystem for the pan-entertainment industry.

mixi Inc is a Japanese company that provides social networking services. The company conducts its business activities mainly through the operation of websites and the provision of native smartphone games on the Internet. Its business segments include the Digital Entertainment Business, Sports Business, Lifestyle Business, and Investment Business. Mixi provides games mainly including native smartphone games through the Entertainment Business, and operates business-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer services utilizing the Internet and invests in operating companies of these services through the Media Platform Business.

Ourpalm Co Ltd is a China-based company engaged in the development, publishing, and operation of games. Its main business includes mobile terminal games, internet page games and product development, agent distribution and operation and maintenance of its peripheral products.

Hangzhou Shunwang Technology Co Ltd develops and sells Internet entertainment networking platforms. It focuses mainly on internet cafe technology development. It offers IcafeMavin, a software platform for Internet café management; system virtual disk, an operating system solution for diskless Internet cafes; and Game virtual disk, a game virtual service software for Internet cafes, as well as other Internet café integration solutions.

PearlAbyss Corp is a game development studio. Its game includes Black Desert Online.

DeNA Co Ltd is a social media service provider in Japan. It generates majority of the portion of its revenue by providing social media and Internet marketing-related services through its Social Media segment. The E-commerce segment offers E-Commerce related services, including the operation of auction shopping and cellular phone websites under the names DeNA shopping and Mobaoku, respectively. The Others segment is engaged in travel agency and insurance agency services, and professional baseball related business. The company has its primary market in North America.

Paradox Interactive AB is a Swedish company. It is engaged in the development and publishing of PC-based games. The company's product portfolio includes franchise brands such as Stellaris, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Cities, Skylines, Tyranny and Magicka. Paradox is also involved in the publishing and internal development of games and licensing of White Wolf's brands. The company distributes its games through the digital platform Steam as well as on Apple, Google Play, and Sony stores. It operates its business across the world. The majority of the company's revenue comes from the United States, while it also has its presence in Sweden, Rest of Europe and Rest of the World.

Modern Times Group (MTG) is a Swedish gaming group headquartered in Stockholm that owns and operates mobile and PC game studios, with A and B shares listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Its studios include Plarium, maker of RAID: Shadow Legends, PlaySimple, a word- and casual-games developer acquired in 2021, InnoGames, Hutch, Ninja Kiwi (acquired 2021, known for Bloons TD), Snowprint and Futureplay. Most games are free to play, so revenue comes from in-app purchases and in-game advertising. MTG traces its origins to TV3, which Kinnevik launched in Sweden on New Year's Eve 1987 as Scandinavia's first commercial channel; its media assets were distributed to Kinnevik shareholders and listed in 1997. The group spun off its Nordic broadcasting and streaming arm as Nordic Entertainment Group (now Viaplay Group) in 2019 and sold esports operator ESL to Saudi Arabia's Savvy Gaming Group in 2022. In November 2024 it agreed to buy Plarium from Aristocrat Leisure for $620 million. In 2025 it reported record net sales of SEK 11,579 million and adjusted EBITDA of SEK 2,648 million, with 9% organic growth. Maria Redin is president and CEO.

Shift Up Corp is a game design and development studio that covers a wide range of areas from game production to promotional videos and music production, based on illustrations and solid planning and programming capabilities.

NHN operates IT-related businesses across Korea, Japan, the United States, and China. Its activities include gaming, payment services, advertising, commerce, technology services, and digital content operations.

Sichuan Xun You Network Technology Co Ltd is an online game accelerator. The company solves the problem that players encounter excessive delays in online games, difficulty in login, and easy to drop.

Yalla Group Ltd is a MENA-based online social networking and gaming company. It operates two flagship mobile applications, Yalla, a voice-centric group chat platform, and Yalla Ludo, a casual gaming application featuring online versions of board games popular in MENA, with in-game voice chat and localized majlis functions. The Group has one operating segment, which is the social networking and entertainment platform.

GungHo Online Entertainment Inc is a Japanese company that plans, develops, publishes, and distributes online video games. Its portfolio includes games for smartphones, PCs, consoles, and handheld gaming devices. The company operates across several business segments, including the operation and distribution of smartphone games; the planning, development, and sale of console games; and the planning, development, licensing, and distribution of PC online games. Additionally, it is involved in the development and delivery of games for smartphones, consoles, and portable gaming platforms.

Everplay Group PLC is a holding company. Along with its subsidiaries, it is engaged in the development and publishing of independent (Indie) premium video games, working simulation games, and the development of educational entertainment apps for children. It is involved in identifying, developing, publishing, distributing, and licensing a mix of first-party and third-party IP games, with some of its IPs being Construction Simulator, Police Simulator, Bus Simulator, and Firefighting Simulator etc. The group's operating segments are Games Label, which develops and publishes video games for the digital and physical market; Simulation, which develops and publishes simulation games for the digital and physical market; and Edutainment, which develops educational entertainment apps for children.