A decade ago, Tencent’s MoreFun Studios was on the verge of collapse. Now the 1,600-strong operation and its leader Enzo Zhang are at the heart of the Chinese entertainment company’s ambitions to craft international hits.

Long overshadowed by Tencent’s bigger teams at Timi ("Honor of Kings") and LightSpeed ("PUBG Mobile"), MoreFun in November released "Arena Breakout: Infinite" — Tencent’s newest "Call of Duty"-style PC shooter, targeting a genre that typically tops spending charts. It’s one of a handful of global titles the company hopes will anchor its most critical initiative: creating "evergreen” franchises that can generate sales over many years. Tencent, which is eager to rejuvenate its lineup and topline growth, will be counting also on MoreFun’s "One Piece Mobile" next week, an arcade-style fighter based on the bestselling anime.

It’s a high point in the roller-coaster career of 42-year-old Zhang. The studio chief created 2010’s "Roco Kingdom" just five years into his Tencent tenure, his first job after completing a law degree. That web-based game was a smash hit that spawned books, movies and even a theater production. Tencent entrusted him with his own studio to run, an unheard-of ascent for a novice producer.