Fact check: Epic is 40 to 48 percent owned by Tencent, a large Chinese tech firm who heavily spies on Chinese citizens with collaborating with Chinese government.

1. Summary of the results

The statement contains both accurate and unsubstantiated claims. Tencent owns exactly 40% of Epic Games, acquired in 2012 ^{[1] [2]}, not "40 to 48 percent" as claimed. Tim Sweeney remains the controlling shareholder with more than 50% of the company ^{[2] [3]}. While there are "concerns about Tencent's close ties to the Chinese Communist Party" ^[2], none of the sources provide evidence to substantiate the claim about "heavily spying on Chinese citizens" or collaboration with the Chinese government.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• Tencent's investment brought significant benefits to Epic Games, including financial stability and access to the Chinese gaming market ^[1]
• Epic Games has other notable investors besides Tencent, including Sony, Disney, Fidelity, and BlackRock ^[4]
• There is evidence suggesting Epic Games has not been sharing user data with Tencent ^[3]
• Recent investigations into Tencent by the Justice Department were focused on antitrust concerns related to board positions, not surveillance activities ^{[4] [5]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement appears to contain several biased elements:

• The imprecise ownership range (40-48%) suggests a lack of factual rigor, as multiple sources consistently cite 40% ^{[1] [2]}
• The statement implies Tencent has controlling influence over Epic Games, when in fact Tim Sweeney remains the majority shareholder ^{[2] [3]}
• The claim about spying and government collaboration appears to be an unsubstantiated assertion that may be influenced by broader geopolitical tensions and concerns about Chinese tech companies
• The statement fails to acknowledge the business and strategic nature of Tencent's investment ^[1] and instead focuses solely on potential security concerns

This type of narrative could benefit those seeking to raise concerns about Chinese influence in the gaming industry or competitors looking to undermine trust in Epic Games. However, it oversimplifies a complex business relationship and makes serious allegations without providing supporting evidence.