Oct 21, 2021

(Yicai Global) Oct. 21 -- Youzu Interactive’s share price fell after the Chinese video games developer whose founder died from poisoning last December said it has not yet reached an equity sale agreement with any buyer. Youzu Interactive’s shares [SHE:002174] closed down 2.5 percent at CNY12.98 (USD2.03) today, after earlier slumping as much as 4.6 percent. Xu Fenfen, the ex-wife of Youzu’s founder Lin Qi and its actual controller, is planning to sell a stake in the company that could result in the actual controller changing, the Shanghai-based firm said yesterday. But no deal has been done yet between the game developer and the interested party due to the complicated situation, leaving much uncertainty, Youzu added. Last week, internet giant Sina Group Holding was reported to have plans to buy some of Youzu’s assets, which would not include the intellectual property rights to science fiction novel The Three-Body Problem. The company’s shares hit the exchange-imposed limit following the news. Written by Chinese author Liu Cixin, The Three-Body Problem won the Hugo Award for best novel in 2015. Netflix announced last September that it would work with Youzu to adapt the sci-fi trilogy into a television series. Lin was believed to have had a net worth of about CNY6.8 billion (USD1.1 billion), according to the Hurun China Rich List. His three children inherited almost 24 percent of Youzu, and Xu took over as chair, the firm said on Feb. 24. Since then, there has been a stream of speculation about Youzu’s assets being sold. Editor: Futura Costaglione