https://www.scmp.com/rss/324021/feed Video gaming has come a long way since the early days of Space Invaders and Pac-Man, with the advent of powerful consoles and virtual reality, and our smartphones doubling as portable gaming devices. Here’s where you’ll find reviews of the latest games and hardware, as well as news from the video gaming industry. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The Korea Times The Korea Times Yongsan in central Seoul was once the capital of electronics in South Korea. For those shopping for gadgets, a visit to the area was a must. However, with the widespread adoption of online shopping leading to a decline in physical electronics sales, the neighbourhood has found a new identity. The area, centred around I’Park Mall, is now emerging as a major hub for subculture content and pop-up events, drawing a growing number of visitors seeking offline experiences. I’Park Mall embodies that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3350990/seoul-mall-one-best-places-buy-anime-and-fan-merch-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3350990/seoul-mall-one-best-places-buy-anime-and-fan-merch-city?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Actors Jack Quaid and Claudia Doumit have tied the knot. The couple were married on Saturday in an intimate ceremony at Mona Farm in Braidwood, Australia, per the Daily Telegraph. The star-studded guest list included Quaid’s parents – Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid – as well as actors Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner and Henry Golding. The couple’s The Boys co-stars Karl Urban, Colby Minifie and Nathan Mitchell were also in attendance. The show is currently in its fifth and final season. The... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350996/meet-claudia-doumit-who-just-married-her-boys-co-star-jack-quaid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350996/meet-claudia-doumit-who-just-married-her-boys-co-star-jack-quaid?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:07 +0000 dpa dpa Video game developer Capcom brought forward the release date for its long-awaited space sci-fi adventure Pragmata to April 17 amid global excitement over the successful Artemis II moon mission. Players slip into the spacesuit of Hugh Williams, a spacecraft engineer in the near future who travels to the Cradle moon station run by the Delphi Corporation. The base was founded to mine and research the raw material Lunafilament, which is used to expand the base and to build support robots using 3D... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3350400/pragmata-review-moon-set-game-released-early-amid-artemis-ii-buzz-amazing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3350400/pragmata-review-moon-set-game-released-early-amid-artemis-ii-buzz-amazing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai When the American sitcom Growing Pains was first broadcast in China in the 1990s, it was the first window for many in the country into American middle-class life. In the series, a doctor father, a journalist mother and four children live in a spacious suburban home with room for mistakes and second chances. While the show lightly touched on serious social issues, it projected a picture of health, stability and security. However, Chinese viewers have had a chance to rethink the show since state... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349077/growing-pains-meets-kill-line-new-chinese-hot-take-american-dream?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto never imagined that the “little character I drew would become so big”, bouncing through the decades from pixelated New York sewers to a silver-screen space epic. There were more technical constraints when the red-capped plumber made his 1980s debut, says Miyamoto, the design mastermind of Japan’s Nintendo, as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits the cinemas this week. In the earliest Mario arcade games, the character was only 16 pixels tall, a far cry from the rich... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348737/tough-choices-mario-creator-shigeru-miyamoto-made-new-movie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348737/tough-choices-mario-creator-shigeru-miyamoto-made-new-movie?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:15:08 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 2/5 stars It will come as a surprise to absolutely no one that Nintendo’s crown jewels, those lovable plumbers Mario and Luigi, are back. The Super Mario Bros Movie was a staggering hit in 2023, grossing US$1.36 billion and showing just how beloved these video game icons really are. Now comes the inevitable sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Loosely inspired by the 2007 video game Super Mario Galaxy and its 2010 follow-up, the film takes us back to the hallucinogenic Mushroom Kingdom and its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348483/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-nintendo-sequel-looks-great-lacks-laughs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348483/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-nintendo-sequel-looks-great-lacks-laughs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:00:09 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China is seeing surging public interest in science fiction amid its push for technological development, with revenues reaching a record high and online search traffic more than tripling last year, according to a new report. China’s sci-fi industry saw its gross revenues reach 126.1 billion yuan (US$18.2 billion) in 2025, up 15.7 per cent year on year, according to an annual report released at the China Science Fiction Convention on Friday, as reported by Xinhua. The report also highlighted a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348421/chinas-sci-fi-industry-rides-tech-wave-revenues-hit-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348421/chinas-sci-fi-industry-rides-tech-wave-revenues-hit-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:02:19 +0000 dpa dpa Nintendo Switch 2 just got its indie power-up – and it is wild: a Zelda-like game with a roguelike bite, a psychedelic Souls-like co-op, and Super Meat Boy going full 3D chaos. At every Game Developers Conference, Nintendo highlights projects from independent studios through its Nintendo Partner Preview. The coming projects on their systems are not all exclusives, but they are proof that indie studios care about being on the company’s platforms. The surprising part of the preview was that all... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347927/3-stand-out-indie-nintendo-switch-2-games-coming-soon-blighted-mina-hollower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347927/3-stand-out-indie-nintendo-switch-2-games-coming-soon-blighted-mina-hollower?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 dpa dpa In Pokemon Pokopia, the development studios Game Freak and Omega Force show how the Pokemon phenomenon can be applied to Nintendo’s tried-and-tested gameplay formula from the Animal Crossing series. The result is a sugary-sweet treat for anyone who has wanted a cosy life-simulation game in the Pokemon franchise, enriched with a surprisingly sophisticated building system and a slightly melancholic story. In the game, you step into the role of a Ditto. This Pokemon has the ability to transform its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347985/pokemon-pokopia-nintendo-switch-nuanced-love-letter-entire-genre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347985/pokemon-pokopia-nintendo-switch-nuanced-love-letter-entire-genre?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service With more than 66 million units sold since the God of War series debuted on Sony PlayStation 2 in 2005, the opportunity to transform the modern gaming classic into a retro, 2D, side-scrolling, Metroidvania-style prequel marked a new triumph and challenge for Mega Cat Studios. God of War Sons of Sparta, which follows the harrowing journey of a young Kratos and his brother into Spartan manhood in ancient Greece, all started with one swing hefty enough to rival the arc of the future god-killer’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347797/why-video-game-god-war-sons-sparta-coming-age-mega-cat-studios?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347797/why-video-game-god-war-sons-sparta-coming-age-mega-cat-studios?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Coco Feng,Wency Chen Coco Feng,Wency Chen ByteDance has struck a deal to sell its gaming studio Moonton to Savvy Games Group, a Saudi gaming company owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, for more than US$6 billion, according to information from the two sides on Friday. Moonton, known for the popular online battle title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, recently signed an agreement to sell to Savvy, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Moonton CEO Zhang Yunfan said in an internal memo on Thursday seen by the South China... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347352/bytedance-sells-games-studio-moonton-saudi-firm-over-us6-billion-amid-pivot-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347352/bytedance-sells-games-studio-moonton-saudi-firm-over-us6-billion-amid-pivot-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:32:59 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby This is the latest instalment in a feature series reflecting on instances of East meets West in world cinema, including China-US co-productions. In the early 2000s, long before China began opening up to the commercial possibilities of Western cinema, the idea of filming a potential blockbuster in the country seemed nothing short of revolutionary. Previous efforts were either prestige pictures, such as 1987’s The Last Emperor or tiny indies like A Great Wall (1986). But anyone who could mount an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346728/how-doa-dead-or-alive-tried-create-new-kind-blockbuster-amid-chaotic-china-shoot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346728/how-doa-dead-or-alive-tried-create-new-kind-blockbuster-amid-chaotic-china-shoot?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3/5 stars One of the most beguiling aspects of Gamer Girls is that it never acknowledges its characters’ gaming addiction for what it is. Too distracted by the craving for just one more match to function at your day job? Never mind. Needing to grind out another 500 hours of playtime within weeks to qualify for tournament selection? No problem. Despite its casual treatment of the gruelling, burnout-inducing realities of esports, and its light-touch approach to the toxic misogyny that often... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346211/gamer-girls-movie-review-angela-yuen-leads-ensemble-beguiling-hong-kong-esports-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346211/gamer-girls-movie-review-angela-yuen-leads-ensemble-beguiling-hong-kong-esports-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:15:07 +0000 dpa dpa Since its inception in 1996, the Resident Evil series has been an integral part of the horror game genre. The series reached its peak in 2005 with an action-packed, genre-defining fourth instalment. There was a low point with the sixth instalment in 2012, controversial among fans. Now, developer Capcom has rejuvenated the series by returning to its survival horror roots with Resident Evil: Requiem. It picks up on two successful strands from past games. We meet charismatic protagonist Leon S.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346216/resident-evil-requiem-review-best-elements-series-past-combine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346216/resident-evil-requiem-review-best-elements-series-past-combine?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Lenovo has revealed several new proof-of-concept prototypes, including a “modular” laptop with two displays and detachable ports, as well as a portable gaming device featuring a folding display. The devices, announced to coincide with the start of the MWC Barcelona conference in Spain on March 2, are not final and do not have a confirmed release date. In addition, the company unveiled a concept device resembling an alarm clock with an AI-powered assistant built in. The Chinese company, which... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3345375/lenovo-reveals-modular-thinkbook-foldable-legion-go-mwc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3345375/lenovo-reveals-modular-thinkbook-foldable-legion-go-mwc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:15:08 +0000 Paul French Paul French You could be forgiven for thinking that the UK has gone samurai mad of late. Director Michihito Fujii’s Last Samurai Standing remains high up the Netflix UK chart, Penguin Books is enjoying a massive bestseller in Shotaro Ikenami’s multi-volume The Samurai Detectives, and the FX miniseries retelling of James Clavell’s Shogun (originally a 1975 novel) was a surprise hit and won various awards. The samurai-inspired Assassin’s Creed Shadows was the fastest-selling video game in Britain in 2025,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345076/gripping-london-samurai-exhibition-explores-japans-warrior-class-and-cuts-through-myths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345076/gripping-london-samurai-exhibition-explores-japans-warrior-class-and-cuts-through-myths?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse With its use more commonly associated with hugely popular video games such as Fortnite and Batman Arkham City, the powerful Unreal Engine is becoming a go-to tool for 3D projects beyond the video games industry, from TV news graphics to acclaimed animated series and films. Created for the 1998 first-person shooter game Unreal by programmer Tim Sweeney – who founded the game’s development company and is now CEO of what it has become: Fortnite developer Epic Games, the engine was soon made... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345082/what-do-black-myth-wukong-and-star-wars-mandalorian-have-common?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345082/what-do-black-myth-wukong-and-star-wars-mandalorian-have-common?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:15:07 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak This year’s Pokemon Day, which falls on February 27, also marks the 30th anniversary of the internationally known and loved multimedia franchise. Helmed by the determined and compassionate Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum and his loyal but stubborn “pocket monster” partner Pikachu, this Japanese IP has spawned a huge range of anime series, films, video games and merchandise. The now multibillion-dollar franchise began life as a role-playing video game series created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Game Boy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3344721/how-pokemon-took-over-world-beloved-franchise-turns-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3344721/how-pokemon-took-over-world-beloved-franchise-turns-30?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:15:07 +0000 dpa dpa Playing Tetris could help reduce distressing memories of trauma, a study has found. Health workers who played the classic computer game as part of their treatment experienced fewer flashbacks, researchers say. Experts are now hoping to test the method, which they describe as “accessible, scalable and adaptable”, on a larger group of people. The trial, carried out by researchers in the United Kingdom and Sweden, included 99 National Health Service (NHS) staff exposed to trauma at work – such as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344065/how-playing-tetris-can-help-reduce-traumatic-memory-flashbacks-according-new-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344065/how-playing-tetris-can-help-reduce-traumatic-memory-flashbacks-according-new-study?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Outside Jonggak Station in central Seoul on a chilly Saturday evening, the air carries a hum of anticipation as an escalator climbing towards the third floor of a downtown office complex funnels hundreds of League of Legends fans towards a single glowing destination: LoL Park, the home of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) competition and the beating heart of Seoul’s esports scene. An hour before the big match between KT Rolster and Gen.G begins, the concourse feels like a high-stakes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340978/how-seoul-became-worlds-esports-capital-and-using-it-key-tourism-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340978/how-seoul-became-worlds-esports-capital-and-using-it-key-tourism-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Ben Jiang,Coco Feng Ben Jiang,Coco Feng The new year kicked off with the blockbuster public market debuts of two Chinese artificial intelligence high-flyers – Zhipu AI and MiniMax – making them the world’s first publicly listed large language model (LLM) start-ups. The listings put them ahead of US rivals including Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Amazon.com-supported Anthropic, which have yet to reach public markets. Both Chinese companies have been backed by heavyweight investors, including state-linked funds and big tech groups such as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341063/next-level-why-chinas-game-makers-are-quietly-bankrolling-generative-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341063/next-level-why-chinas-game-makers-are-quietly-bankrolling-generative-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim “Avatar” nowadays might immediately conjure up an image of the blue-skinned Na’vi from Pandora in the Avatar sci-fi film franchise, or the fantasy action series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The word, in fact, is originally rooted in Hinduism, being the incarnation of a deity on earth in human or animal form to counteract some particular evil in the world. Pronounced “uhv-TAAR”, avatārat derives from Sanskrit avatāra, verbal noun of avatarati, meaning “descends”, which is composed of ava meaning... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3338475/incarnations-word-avatar-visiting-deity-sci-fi-hit-and-online-personality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3338475/incarnations-word-avatar-visiting-deity-sci-fi-hit-and-online-personality?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 04:15:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of video gaming juggernaut Call of Duty, has died in a car crash. He was 55. The developer and executive died on Sunday while driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles, according to local broadcaster NBC4. “For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed,” the California Highway Patrol said in a statement, without identifying the two victims in the crash. The CHP added that both... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337401/call-duty-co-creator-vince-zampella-killed-car-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337401/call-duty-co-creator-vince-zampella-killed-car-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:28:15 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China’s video game industry revenue grew 7.7 per cent to a new high this year, as domestic titles from the likes of Tencent Holdings and NetEase continued to expand globally and bets on artificial intelligence paid off, according to data released on Friday by the country’s semi-official gaming industry association. The country’s gaming market posted total sales of 350.8 billion yuan (US$49.8 billion) for the year, breaking the previous record of 325.8 billion yuan set last year. The numbers were... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337112/chinas-video-game-sales-reach-record-2025-amid-overseas-expansion-ai-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337112/chinas-video-game-sales-reach-record-2025-amid-overseas-expansion-ai-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:50:15 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Gamers of a certain age will remember when beat ’em ups ruled arcades. Although most arcades are gone, those experiences live on thanks to developers such as Tribute Games, which has made a name for itself by finding new life in the genre. In 2022, the team released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, an excellent adventure inspired by Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games on the Super Nintendo and in arcades. Now, its follow-up echoes another classic. Marvel Cosmic Invasion... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3336165/marvel-cosmic-invasion-review-iron-man-wolverine-et-al-unite-modern-beat-em?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3336165/marvel-cosmic-invasion-review-iron-man-wolverine-et-al-unite-modern-beat-em?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:15:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press When Kendrick Lamar began his Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year, he picked a stage design likely familiar to most tuning in: a square, triangle, cross and circle. The Grammy-winning rapper – in front of more than 133 million people – chose to perform on a massive, industrialised grid of flashing lights resembling a giant PlayStation controller. It was a nice surprise present for Sony’s PlayStation, which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary in North America and Europe. Lamar’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3335157/how-sonys-playstation-changed-gaming-and-entertainment-forever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3335157/how-sonys-playstation-changed-gaming-and-entertainment-forever?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:15:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese technology powerhouses are beginning to reap early returns from their heavy investments in artificial intelligence, with quarterly results showing the impact across businesses from short video platforms like Kuaishou Technology to social media giants like Tencent Holdings. Kuaishou, China’s second-largest short video app and rival to TikTok’s Chinese sibling Douyin, was the latest to highlight gains from AI adoption. The company, in an earnings statement on Wednesday, attributed its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3333573/chinese-tech-giants-kuaishou-tencent-reap-early-gains-big-ai-bets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3333573/chinese-tech-giants-kuaishou-tencent-reap-early-gains-big-ai-bets?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:00:15 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times When Kim Seung-chul became Neowiz’s co-chief executive in 2021, the company was in dire need of a shift in its operations. The company was considered one of Korea’s big three game companies in the 2000s, publishing various hit titles while games developed by its own studios achieved noticeable success. In the 2010s, however, the domestic market shifted towards mobile titles and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and many of Neowiz’s in-house titles struggled to gain... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3333333/how-korean-game-company-behind-lies-p-found-success-after-struggles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3333333/how-korean-game-company-behind-lies-p-found-success-after-struggles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 08:15:10 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Fans of Japanese singer-songwriter Kokia were disappointed on Wednesday night when a “last-minute technical issue” forced the cancellation of a concert in Beijing. The organiser of the event apologised on Thursday for one of a series of Japanese cultural events that have been cancelled or delayed since China and Japan became embroiled in a diplomatic row this month. “This should have been announced earlier! People waited for an hour and a half, and many came from out of town,” one fan said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333439/young-chinese-fans-fear-losing-access-japanese-pop-culture-amid-diplomatic-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333439/young-chinese-fans-fear-losing-access-japanese-pop-culture-amid-diplomatic-row?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:04:21 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s latest plan to clamp down on violent video games in the wake of a mosque bombing has reignited a long-running debate over the impact of digital media on young minds and whether regulation alone can stem an apparent rise in bullying and online radicalisation. President Prabowo Subianto called for restrictions on games that “normalise violence” following a November 7 blast at a North Jakarta high school mosque that injured nearly 100 students during Friday prayers. Prasetyo Hadi, head... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3333280/indonesia-mulls-violent-video-game-ban-after-mosque-bombing-can-fight-extremism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3333280/indonesia-mulls-violent-video-game-ban-after-mosque-bombing-can-fight-extremism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao US video game developer Riot Games, creator of League of Legends, retains bragging rights to the most popular PC game in China nearly a decade and a half after its launch. First introduced in 2009 and brought to the mainland in 2011, the multiplayer online battle game has been around longer than many of those who play it – a remarkable feat in an industry known for its rapid shifts. The secret to the game’s longevity may lie in the sustained appeal of the League of Legends esports scene, as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333089/how-league-legends-remains-most-popular-pc-game-china-after-15-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333089/how-league-legends-remains-most-popular-pc-game-china-after-15-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 01:00:14 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese tech firm Tencent Holdings, the country’s most valuable technology giant, beat analysts’ forecasts with a 15 per cent rise in third-quarter revenue, as its artificial intelligence efforts continued to drive growth. Revenue for the Shenzhen-based firm, which runs China’s most popular super app WeChat, reached 192.9 billion yuan (US$27.1 billion), up from 167.2 billion yuan in the same period last year. Net profit increased 19 per cent to 63.1 billion yuan in the September quarter, which... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3332631/tencent-posts-19-jump-third-quarter-profit-ai-related-gains-beating-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3332631/tencent-posts-19-jump-third-quarter-profit-ai-related-gains-beating-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:56:05 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Video-game players are returning to an old technology to get their dopamine fix: websites. While much of the US$189 billion video-game industry is stagnant or shrinking, the appetite for web-based games like GeoGuessr and chess is soaring. Sales for such titles – advertising and the sums players spend on in-game items – were expected to triple from 2021 to 2028, reaching US$3.09 billion, according to data from Google and Kantar, a market researcher. The reason is simple: for time-pressed people,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3332288/forget-phone-apps-and-gaming-consoles-video-game-players-are-returning-websites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3332288/forget-phone-apps-and-gaming-consoles-video-game-players-are-returning-websites?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:15:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Indonesia is weighing restrictions on video games like PUBG following a school blast in Jakarta that injured nearly 100 people. President Prabowo Subianto ordered his cabinet to look into such measures after receiving updates about the police investigation into the act, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi told reporters in Jakarta on Sunday. Developed by South Korea’s Krafton, PUBG: Battlegrounds is an online multiplayer shooting game that popularised the battle royale genre alongside games like... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332169/indonesia-weighs-curbing-pubg-other-video-games-after-jakarta-blast-injures-nearly-100?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332169/indonesia-weighs-curbing-pubg-other-video-games-after-jakarta-blast-injures-nearly-100?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 06:46:24 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Savvy Games Group, the video gaming powerhouse owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, is looking to the Chinese market for inspiration as it embarks on a new phase of global expansion, according to company executives. During a recent visit to Shanghai, Saudi Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, vice-chairman of Savvy, highlighted China’s appeal, citing its vast consumer base and exceptional talent pool. “What is unique to China is its ability to be successful in games and esports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3332027/saudi-video-gaming-giant-savvy-eyes-china-after-success-delta-force-black-myth-wukong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3332027/saudi-video-gaming-giant-savvy-eyes-china-after-success-delta-force-black-myth-wukong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse The International Olympic Committee and Saudi Arabia have ended their 12-year esports partnership after only a year, parting ways to develop separate projects, the IOC said on Thursday. Two years before the first Olympic Esports Games were to be held in Riyadh, the IOC said discussions with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee had ended the partnership 14 months after announcing a 12-year deal during the 2024 Paris Olympics. “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3330938/ioc-saudi-arabia-cancel-12-year-deal-riyadh-host-video-gaming-esports-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3330938/ioc-saudi-arabia-cancel-12-year-deal-riyadh-host-video-gaming-esports-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:00:23 +0000 dpa dpa The Covid-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the diverging fortunes of video games and Hollywood. While the former thrived during lockdown, the latter had difficulty adapting, with cinemas still now looking for ways to draw audiences. Gaming has continued to steadily grow as the younger generation has become enthralled with the worlds they introduce. The movie industry has even leaned on video game properties as films such as Minecraft and Super Mario Bros. All of this highlights the importance of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3329437/3-major-video-game-releases-autumn-2025-including-borderlands-4?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3329437/3-major-video-game-releases-autumn-2025-including-borderlands-4?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Mathias Woo Mathias Woo Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis is more than a mere zoning plan; it is a crucial part of China’s development strategy and a pivotal step towards elevating the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) global profile. With development now under way, the conversation must shift to a new realm: soft power. The Northern Metropolis should not be just another new town designed to address Hong Kong’s housing and industrial needs. Rather, it must emerge as a zone of cultural emancipation that takes the GBA’s development... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329196/more-tech-hub-northern-metropolis-can-be-cradle-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329196/more-tech-hub-northern-metropolis-can-be-cradle-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg For more than a decade, Tencent Holdings developer Leo Yao toiled in relative anonymity, churning out one shooting game after another. Then he scored one of the biggest Chinese hits of 2024 with Delta Force, a video game that continues to attract 30 million players daily. Now, Tencent’s top brass have tasked the 43-year-old with helping orchestrate a major shift at China’s most valuable company. Executives see a change in tastes among domestic gamers – long deemed a smartphone-dominant audience... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328788/tencents-hit-title-delta-force-prompts-sharpened-focus-shooting-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328788/tencents-hit-title-delta-force-prompts-sharpened-focus-shooting-games?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:32:27 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov An industry around esports – team-based competitive video gaming – is in the early stages of development in Hong Kong, but is set to enjoy large growth in the coming years, according to an executive with gaming-peripheral company SteelSeries. “Hong Kong is not a fully developed esports market,” said Dickson Lee, the Denmark-based company’s vice-president and general manager in the Asia-Pacific region. “But we’re seeing a lot of government projects in the esports industry, such as esports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3328705/hong-kong-ready-play-esports-arena-executive-video-gaming-gear-company-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3328705/hong-kong-ready-play-esports-arena-executive-video-gaming-gear-company-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 11:15:27 +0000 dpa dpa If there’s anything the Silent Hill video game franchise has taught me since the first game released in 1999, it’s that true horror – the kind that slithers into dreams and leaves scars in its wake – rarely comes in the form of a monster. That remains true in Silent Hill f, the latest release in the storied series. Yes, there are horrifying monstrosities lurking about in this beautifully grotesque world – but they’re not the scariest thing around. Produced by NeoBards Entertainment and published... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3326765/silent-hill-f-review-terrifying-mesmerising-and-visually-striking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3326765/silent-hill-f-review-terrifying-mesmerising-and-visually-striking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:15:07 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 2.5/5 stars The intense, jargon-filled world of professional esports might seem like a rather esoteric setting for a film. Yet in the new comedy-drama Good Game, this competitive backdrop is used for something unexpectedly heartwarming: a simple underdog story about chasing dreams and overcoming obstacles. Hong Kong director Dickson Leung Kwok-fai’s follow-up to his goofy fantasy comedy Yum Investigation is defined less by its geeky premise than its undemanding nature and unabashedly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325826/good-game-movie-review-hong-kong-esports-comedy-will-or-diverting-lightweight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325826/good-game-movie-review-hong-kong-esports-comedy-will-or-diverting-lightweight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:15:11 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Capcom’s announcement of Onimusha: Way of the Sword generated excitement. The Onimusha samurai series blends action and supernatural elements in a way that was groundbreaking when the first game was released in 2001. Video games have advanced considerably since then, so it was interesting to ponder how Capcom would reinterpret the franchise for modern tastes. Would it produce a quick-twitch action game like Devil May Cry? Or could it follow the path of Resident Evil? It turns out Onimusha: Way... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3325316/onimusha-way-sword-brings-ps2-era-series-modern-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3325316/onimusha-way-sword-brings-ps2-era-series-modern-era?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 20:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nintendo’s chirpy Italian mascot Mario has run and jumped his way to four decades of global stardom, broadening the appeal of the video game industry as one of its most beloved characters. Here is a look at the Mario phenomenon in numbers: 40 million cartridges The original Super Mario Bros cartridge game was released in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console in the United States and elsewhere, and in Japan on the Famicom console. It sold 40.2 million copies worldwide,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325022/crazy-mario-speedrun-record-us16-million-cartridge-nintendos-mascot-numbers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325022/crazy-mario-speedrun-record-us16-million-cartridge-nintendos-mascot-numbers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:15:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Surrounded by thousands of objects bearing the likeness of Nintendo’s mustachioed plumber, 40-year-old Kikai reflects that his life “would be totally different without Mario”, who also marks four decades this week. The colourful Super Mario Bros, released for Nintendo’s home consoles in Japan on September 13, 1985, was a landmark of early video gaming. Players controlled the eponymous character as he ran and hopped his way from left to right through a colourful world of platforms, pipes and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324981/how-mario-went-nameless-jumpman-icon-he-marks-40-years-first-nes-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324981/how-mario-went-nameless-jumpman-icon-he-marks-40-years-first-nes-game?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:15:07 +0000 dpa dpa Step into an unassuming industrial building in Teltow, just outside Berlin, and a bright, clacking universe unfolds: around 50 pinball machines line 200 square metres (2,150 square feet), from classics like Wizard and The Addams Family to modern hits such as Game of Thrones. Welcome to Flipperhalle Berlin – proof that pinball is back in vogue. While the pinball market in the United States, the world’s largest, has seen a dramatic revival since the mid-2000s – fuelled by the rise of arcade bars,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3324840/how-pinballs-fortunes-have-flipped-retro-trend-grows-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3324840/how-pinballs-fortunes-have-flipped-retro-trend-grows-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press In a new corner of the internet, users are invited to “paint the world”. And paint they have. Welcome to Wplace – an ever-evolving, gamified global map overflowing with drawings made on a more than 4-trillion-pixel canvas. Images of Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey float over Reykjavík, while tributes to the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla surround Corpus Christi in Texas. Crests of San Lorenzo and other football clubs fill Buenos Aires. Squid Game fan art can be found on the outskirts of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3324457/wplace-takes-internet-storm-millions-users-paint-world-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3324457/wplace-takes-internet-storm-millions-users-paint-world-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Developing the first James Bond video game in over a decade has felt like returning “back home” for IO Interactive, the Danish studio known for its own globe-trotting agent fantasy series Hitman. Scheduled for release next year, 007 First Light takes the long-honed stealth infiltration formula IO developed for Hitman and throws in a healthy dose of Bond’s over-the-top car chases, gunplay and sex appeal. “While doing [Hitman] earlier, I was bathing in 007 cool,” said the new game’s art director... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324427/007-first-light-hitman-developer-io-new-james-bond-game-first-2012?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324427/007-first-light-hitman-developer-io-new-james-bond-game-first-2012?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Want to get Generation Alpha into cinemas? Look to video games. Kids still like to go to the movies, according to a new research report, but the franchises they care about are not the traditional Hollywood popcorn fare. Seven of the top 10 entertainment franchises that the youngest generation of movie-goers cares about are video game properties, according to a recent study by the US-based National Research Group (NRG). The top five titles that Gen Alpha kids – generally considered to be those... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324273/gen-alphas-entertainment-trends-revolve-around-video-games-why-matters-cinemas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324273/gen-alphas-entertainment-trends-revolve-around-video-games-why-matters-cinemas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Zhou Xin,Xinmei Shen Zhou Xin,Xinmei Shen Tencent Holdings is aiming for “aggressive” growth in the international cloud computing market, on the back of the growing appetite overseas for Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) models, according to a senior executive. That sharpened focus by Tencent stems from how its overseas cloud operations have been expanding “the fastest among all [its business] segments”, with “high double-digit growth over the past few years”, said senior executive vice-president Dowson Tong Tao-sang, who serves as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3323544/tencent-counts-demand-chinese-ai-tools-lift-overseas-cloud-computing-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3323544/tencent-counts-demand-chinese-ai-tools-lift-overseas-cloud-computing-business?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 04:00:17 +0000