https://www.scmp.com/rss/327886/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 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 Ann Cao Ann Cao China this year will again serve as host to the League of Legends World Championship, the esports industry’s biggest tournament for a single title, raising hopes for another finals run by a mainland team. The annual professional competition, also known as the Worlds, will kick off in Beijing from October 14 and then move to Shanghai for the quarter-final and semi-final rounds from October 28 to November 2, according to US video game developer and tournament organiser Riot Games, a subsidiary of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3319653/league-legends-world-championship-returns-china-mainland-esports-sector-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3319653/league-legends-world-championship-returns-china-mainland-esports-sector-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:19:15 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov As Chinese esports giant NIP Group plans to establish a global headquarters in the Middle East, co-founder Hicham Chahine is considering how to capitalise on opportunities in vastly different video gaming markets. “The West is very accustomed to PCs, consoles,” Chahine said in an interview on May 14. “In China, gaming is a mobile phenomenon, led by companies like Tencent and NetEase.” For Chahine, the existence of super apps such as WeChat, owned by video gaming behemoth Tencent Holdings, means... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3310761/chinese-esports-giant-nip-eyes-global-expansion-abu-dhabi-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3310761/chinese-esports-giant-nip-eyes-global-expansion-abu-dhabi-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 03:00:14 +0000 Iris Deng,Coco Feng Iris Deng,Coco Feng The US government's move to add Tencent Holdings, China’s most valuable company, to its list of Chinese military firms has raised concerns about further bifurcation in the technology spheres of the world’s two largest economies. Tencent, operator of super-app WeChat and the world’s biggest video gaming business by revenue, is among five new companies that Washington believes pose a threat to US national security, according to a document on the Federal Register published on Tuesday. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293789/tencents-us-blacklisting-stokes-fear-tech-war-escalation-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293789/tencents-us-blacklisting-stokes-fear-tech-war-escalation-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2025 13:30:16 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China has claimed another victory in esports, with the Chinese team Edward Gaming (EDG) winning the country’s first world championship at the annual tournament for the shooting game Valorant on Sunday. The five-player professional team beat Spain’s Team Heretics 3:2 in the grand final of Valorant Champions 2024, amid strong European competition. Valorant is a shooting game developed by US-based Riot Games, a subsidiary of Tencent Holdings. The victory, marking the first time a Chinese team has... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275992/china-claims-another-victory-esports-edg-team-wins-valorant-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275992/china-claims-another-victory-esports-edg-team-wins-valorant-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Aug 2024 12:00:21 +0000 Iris Deng,Ann Cao Iris Deng,Ann Cao Tencent Holdings saw profits jump 82 per cent in the second quarter, beating analyst estimates, on the back of new video gaming growth and improved advertising performance. Profit reached 47.6 billion yuan (US$6.6 billion) for the quarter ended June, up from 26.2 billion yuan in the same period a year ago. Total revenue for the Hong Kong-listed firm reached 161.1 billion yuan, up 8 per cent year on year from 149 billion yuan. Analysts expected 40.3 billion yuan in profit and 161.3 billion yuan... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3274455/tencent-profit-jumps-82-beating-estimates-after-strong-video-gaming-ad-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3274455/tencent-profit-jumps-82-beating-estimates-after-strong-video-gaming-ad-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:51:11 +0000 Mario Ho Yau-kwan, the youngest son of the late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, on Friday became the youngest founder of a Nasdaq-listed company in Asia, as the 29-year-old entrepreneur’s esports firm NIP Group started trading in the United States. NIP, which achieved a milestone as the first listed Chinese company in the esports industry, raised a total of US$20.25 million from its offering of 2.25 million American depositary shares at US$9 per share. “Looking back at this journey, we... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3272213/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-leads-first-listed-chinese-company-esports-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3272213/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-leads-first-listed-chinese-company-esports-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 11:30:25 +0000 Esports entrepreneur Mario Ho Yau-kwan, the youngest son of the late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, is seeking to expand the international reach of his organisation NIP Group, as it pursues an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States. NIP is a Cayman Islands-based holding company, with operations primarily conducted through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Ninjas in Pyjamas Gaming in Sweden, which is engaged in esports teams operations; and Wuhan Xingjingweiwu Culture & Sports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3266695/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-sets-sights-chinas-first-esports-ipo-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3266695/stanley-hos-youngest-son-mario-sets-sights-chinas-first-esports-ipo-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 01:00:19 +0000 A Beijing-based graphics processing unit (GPUs) design firm founded by a former Nvidia executive is generating excitement among Chinese video gamers in a sign of the country’s ability to quickly find substitutes for foreign brands in consumer-grade technology. Moore Threads Technology, which was added to a US trade blacklist at the end of 2023, has emerged as a key competitor in a semiconductor market segment that globally is dominated by Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). After the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3266064/chinas-little-nvidia-moore-threads-finds-edge-video-gaming-gpus-despite-performance-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3266064/chinas-little-nvidia-moore-threads-finds-edge-video-gaming-gpus-despite-performance-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:00:15 +0000 Chinese video game live-streaming platform Douyu denied recent reports that it would finally be merging with main rival Huya – both backed by Tencent Holdings – but acknowledged the two firms are working together in some areas, according to local media reports. Douyu said on Monday that there are no merger plans between the two companies, according to The Paper, an online news organisation under state-backed Shanghai United Media Group. The fresh rumours have emerged more than three years after... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3251116/tencent-backed-video-game-live-streamers-douyu-and-huya-deny-merger-rumours-bytedance-deal-threatens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3251116/tencent-backed-video-game-live-streamers-douyu-and-huya-deny-merger-rumours-bytedance-deal-threatens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:00:10 +0000 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), South Korea’s top-tier esports league, is expected to grapple with publicity and financial challenges despite its success in the Asian Games and World Championship last year, according to industry officials on Thursday. For South Korea, 2023 marked a big win for its esports industry, especially for Riot Games’ League of Legends (LoL), one of the world’s biggest esports titles. Korea bagged two of the seven gold medals for esports, including one for LoL,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249970/south-korean-league-legends-esports-league-faces-challenges-china-after-taiwan-controversy-halted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249970/south-korean-league-legends-esports-league-faces-challenges-china-after-taiwan-controversy-halted?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jan 2024 11:00:28 +0000 China won four esports gold medals out of seven matches at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, providing a morale boost for the country’s video gaming fans who yearn for recognition of their hobby amid Beijing’s hostility towards the industry. Tens of thousands of young Chinese, some joined by their parents, flocked to Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province, to cheer teams competing in video games, which have been labelled “spiritual opium” by Chinese state media. Youth addiction to gaming is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3236668/asian-games-2023-china-bags-over-half-gold-medals-esports-events-even-beijing-maintains-its-harsh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3236668/asian-games-2023-china-bags-over-half-gold-medals-esports-events-even-beijing-maintains-its-harsh?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Oct 2023 11:03:17 +0000 While the first esports gold medal for China at the Asian Games has been celebrated across the country, few expect Beijing to change its tough stance on video gaming, which includes a weekly three-hour play time limit for those under the age of 18. China’s national team beat Malaysia 2-0 to take the Arena of Valor gold at the Asian Games on Tuesday in Hangzhou. Chinese official media, from the People’s Daily to China Central Television, praised the achievement in a rare display of support in a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3236014/china-may-have-won-esports-gold-arena-valor-victory-unlikely-change-beijings-tough-stance-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3236014/china-may-have-won-esports-gold-arena-valor-victory-unlikely-change-beijings-tough-stance-video?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Sep 2023 11:33:12 +0000 China have won the Asian Games’ first ever gold medal in esports after a victory over Malaysia in the title Arena of Valor, the international version of Honour of Kings. The six-player Chinese national team won 2-0 in the esports finals, where the best of three matches takes the crown, at the Hangzhou Esports Centre on Tuesday night. The players use a version of the game that Tencent Holdings created specifically for the Asian Games, which merges elements of both Arena of Valor and Honour of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3235896/asian-games-2023-china-wins-first-esports-gold-medal-hangzhou-playing-tencents-arena-valor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3235896/asian-games-2023-china-wins-first-esports-gold-medal-hangzhou-playing-tencents-arena-valor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Sep 2023 14:33:38 +0000 Tencent Holdings has secured the rights to develop and publish the mobile edition of Bandai Namco Holdings’s Blue Protocol, betting on one of this year’s most anticipated multiplayer video games to rekindle international growth, according to people familiar with the matter. The world’s biggest video gaming company has assembled a developer team for the project and holds the global distribution rights, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private plans. The tie-up is an... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3234347/tencent-develop-mobile-version-hit-anime-game-blue-protocol-deal-bandai-namco?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3234347/tencent-develop-mobile-version-hit-anime-game-blue-protocol-deal-bandai-namco?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Sep 2023 05:00:14 +0000 Singapore’s esports industry took a big step forward in hosting the world’s first Olympic Esports Week in June. Trading on its iconic name, the inaugural competition attracted more than 100 athletes to compete across 10 virtual sports. “The festival [is] a platform for the local sport industry to collaborate with international federations and tech companies, and this will no doubt give a boost to the development of the local and regional virtual sports scene,” said Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport... https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-2023/article/3230337/singapore-hosted-worlds-first-olympic-esports-week-june-government-singapore-national-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-2023/article/3230337/singapore-hosted-worlds-first-olympic-esports-week-june-government-singapore-national-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Aug 2023 06:00:19 +0000 Tencent Holdings, operator of the world’s largest video gaming business by revenue, has appointed a new head for its popular game live-streaming platform Huya amid regulatory pressure and fierce competition in this market. Lin Songtao, who serves as a vice-president at Shenzhen-based Tencent, was named Huya’s new chairman effective immediately, replacing Huang Lingdong who had held that post since April 2020, according to a statement on Tuesday from the New York-listed live-streaming... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3221717/tencent-replaces-chairman-video-game-live-streaming-platform-huya-amid-regulatory-pressure-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3221717/tencent-replaces-chairman-video-game-live-streaming-platform-huya-amid-regulatory-pressure-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 May 2023 14:00:11 +0000 League of Legends Esports Manager, co-developed by Tencent Holdings and its US subsidiary Riot Games, has been named among the 2022 winners of Apple's App Store Awards, in a rare international accolade for a Chinese title. The video game was awarded China Game of the Year, the first time the US tech giant has created a separate category for a game from an individual country. Apex Legends Mobile, co-developed by Electronics Arts and Tencent, won iPhone Game of Year, while Moncage, a puzzle... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3201558/tencents-league-legends-spin-wins-apples-app-store-award-bright-spot-chinas-gloomy-games-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3201558/tencents-league-legends-spin-wins-apples-app-store-award-bright-spot-chinas-gloomy-games-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:30:09 +0000 China has failed to reach the finals of the League of Legends World Championship, the esports industry’s biggest tournament, for the first time since 2018, triggering an outpouring of disappointment online among Chinese video gaming fans. The JD Gaming (JDG) team, backed by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, on Saturday lost 1-3 against South Korea’s T1 team in their 2022 League Worlds best-of-five semi-final match held in the United States, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. T1 advanced to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3197891/china-fails-reach-worlds-biggest-esports-tournament-finals-first-time-2018-disappointing-fans-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3197891/china-fails-reach-worlds-biggest-esports-tournament-finals-first-time-2018-disappointing-fans-home?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Nov 2022 01:00:20 +0000 China’s esports market, which is the world’s largest, has taken a hit from the country’s rigid Covid-19 control measures, according to industry insiders, while being little affected by licensing restrictions on new video games. The struggle to keep esports alive and kicking in the world’s largest video gaming market has been particularly tough in terms of staging offline events in cities, hosting audiences and communicating with various clubs because of ongoing pandemic controls, according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3188197/chinas-strict-covid-19-control-measures-not-video-game-licensing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3188197/chinas-strict-covid-19-control-measures-not-video-game-licensing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Aug 2022 00:30:20 +0000 An arresting aroma of coffee and bourbon envelops visitors long before they walk into Bilgewater Brew. The coffeehouse has cheery baristas and a pastry chef who prepares snacks such as vegan, keto and gluten-free muffins. The theme is pirate/nautical, with dripping water sound effects. Customers settle into tall booths made from old bourbon barrels still wafting their tangy caramel scent, adding smell to the sensory recreation of Bilgewater, a dangerous port city in the mythical universe of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3179197/peek-inside-league-legends-creator-riot-games-los-angeles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3179197/peek-inside-league-legends-creator-riot-games-los-angeles?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 May 2022 11:45:10 +0000 He has been dubbed the Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi of League of Legends (LoL), but what distinguishes Lee Sang-hyeok is there is no debate – he is undoubtedly the best to ever do it in his field. Better known as “Faker”, the South Korean mid-laner boasts three World Championships (two MVP awards), two midseason invitationals (MSI), nine national titles, and a highlight reel of the most iconic one-on-ones in the game’s history. Lee’s gamer tag is synonymous with mind-blowing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172859/faker-lee-sang-hyeok-biography-family-net-worth-league-legends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172859/faker-lee-sang-hyeok-biography-family-net-worth-league-legends?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Apr 2022 07:57:53 +0000 This article contains mild spoilers. 4/5 stars A pair of estranged sisters find themselves on opposing sides of a violent feud between rival kingdoms in Arcane, Netflix’s new animated series which serves as a prequel to the hugely popular online battle arena video game League of Legends. The title reportedly attracts 180 million online gamers every month, and the show, produced by Riot Games and French animation studio Fortiche, explores the origins of a number of its champions, including fan... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3156924/netflix-drama-review-arcane-animated-series-set-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3156924/netflix-drama-review-arcane-animated-series-set-league?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Nov 2021 07:15:22 +0000 Riot Games, the creator of online game League of Legends and a subsidiary of Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings, is expanding into animation and other entertainment forms to become the “Disney for gamers” after the launch of its first animated series on Netflix proved successful, the company’s chief executive Nicolo Laurent said. Arcane, an animated series based on popular multiplayer game League of Legends, has already surpassed global hit Squid Game as the most popular show on Netflix in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3156701/league-legends-creator-beats-squid-game-netflix-game-based-animated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3156701/league-legends-creator-beats-squid-game-netflix-game-based-animated?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Nov 2021 23:00:17 +0000 It has been a wild year for China’s video gaming market. Stocks took a dive in August following an editorial lambasting internet games as “spiritual opium”. Then Beijing placed additional restrictions on the amount of time children can spend playing games – just three hours most weeks – again battering tech stocks, especially those of Tencent Holdings and NetEase. Since then, things have calmed down a little. It turns out that many children are still finding ways around ever tightening... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3156540/china-vs-video-games-why-beijing-stopped-short-gaming-ban-keeping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3156540/china-vs-video-games-why-beijing-stopped-short-gaming-ban-keeping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Nov 2021 13:00:13 +0000 A surprise tournament victory for a Chinese esports team has dominated newspaper headlines and drawn praise from state media in China, giving the country’s video game industry, which has suffered a months-long government crackdown, a shot in the arm. Edward Gaming (EDG), a Shanghai-based professional esports team, won the 2021 League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2021) on Sunday, sending euphoric fans across China – many of them university students – onto the streets. Soon after the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3155314/chinas-big-esports-win-gives-countrys-struggling-gaming-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3155314/chinas-big-esports-win-gives-countrys-struggling-gaming-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Nov 2021 13:30:11 +0000 On Saturday, hundreds of young esports fans packed a popular bar along the banks of Suzhou Creek in Shanghai to watch the broadcast of the 2021 League of Legends World Championship finals in Reykjavik, capital of Iceland. These fans were among millions of others across the country who cheered that night for Edward Gaming (EDG), a professional esports team based in Shanghai, that competed against South Korea’s DWG Kia, the defending champion formerly known as Damwon Gaming, which won the title... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3155190/chinese-esports-fans-celebrate-countrys-latest-world-championship-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3155190/chinese-esports-fans-celebrate-countrys-latest-world-championship-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Nov 2021 11:39:04 +0000 The online metaverse is coming and if we’re going to be spending more time in virtual worlds, there’s one crucial question: what are you going to wear? “When I first started talking about this, my friends were like, ‘What are you talking about?’” said 27-year-old Daniella Loftus. “But my 14-year-old cousins understood it immediately.” For many, the idea of buying clothes that don’t exist is a conceptual leap too far. But emerging digital fashion stores are tapping into a growing market – not... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3151486/what-dolce-gabbanas-us6-million-sale-nfts-says-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3151486/what-dolce-gabbanas-us6-million-sale-nfts-says-about?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Oct 2021 10:15:07 +0000 Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, released an album filled with lo-fi beats that will let gamers stream their sessions accompanied by music that doesn’t infringe copyright. The album, titled ‘Sessions: Vi’, features 37 ambient tunes developed in partnership with artists including Chromonicci and Junior State. It’s available on the major streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. The album’s release is a response to growing frustration among gamers who want to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3139877/riot-games-launches-royalty-free-album-video-game-streamers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3139877/riot-games-launches-royalty-free-album-video-game-streamers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jul 2021 13:15:16 +0000 In March, girl group Eternity made its debut with the song, I’m Real. Like other K-pop acts, it also unveiled an eye-catching music video and short interview clips featuring each member. The 11-piece group looks no different from other girl groups – except that the members are not real human beings. They are actually hyperrealistic virtual characters created through state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI). It was AI graphic company Pulse 9 that brought the members to life. The company’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3136950/could-virtual-k-pop-girl-group-dethrone-blackpink-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3136950/could-virtual-k-pop-girl-group-dethrone-blackpink-after?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0000 Tencent Holdings Ltd is negotiating agreements with a US national security panel that would allow it to keep its ownership stakes in US video game developers Riot Games and Epic Games, according to people familiar with the matter. Tencent has been in talks with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which has the authority to order the Chinese technology giant to divest US. holdings, since the second half of last year, the sources said. CFIUS has been looking into... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3132415/tencent-said-be-talks-us-keep-stakes-riot-games-and-epic-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3132415/tencent-said-be-talks-us-keep-stakes-riot-games-and-epic-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 May 2021 02:00:12 +0000 Tencent Holdings, the world’s largest video games company by revenue, saw remarkable growth in 2020, but it now finds itself on the defensive, trying to tap into new gaming genres as large tech rivals and gaming upstarts chip away at its empire. The Shenzhen-based company, which gets a third of its revenue from gaming, invested in 29 video game companies last year, three times more than in 2019. Tencent also pulled in more than US$2.6 billion from each of its two biggest mobile games, PUBG... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3116846/tencent-feels-heat-gaming-rivals-alibaba-bytedance-and-genshin-impact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3116846/tencent-feels-heat-gaming-rivals-alibaba-bytedance-and-genshin-impact?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Jan 2021 22:30:14 +0000 In 2015 when Chinese gaming giant Tencent Holdings tabled the idea of creating a mobile version of League of Legends, it could not get the game’s creator, California-based Riot Games, to agree. At the time, mobile was not commonly seen as the platform for cutting edge, competitive games and the founders of Riot – which Tencent owned 93 per cent of at the time – did not want to water down its hottest PC game to be played on smartphones. Determined to release a League of Legends-like title for... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3116088/honour-kings-became-worlds-most-popular-game-it-was-desperate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3116088/honour-kings-became-worlds-most-popular-game-it-was-desperate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:00:19 +0000 Hong Kong esports gamer Yeh “HotDog29” Man-ho didn’t used to like taking his shirt off at all. The professional video game player was living a sedentary life, playing for hours on end and eating loads of fast food. Things have changed for the 31-year-old, and now after every workout he checks himself out in the mirror. “After the workout is when you look the best,” Yeh said. “After a workout you have that pumped feeling and look good.” Yeh’s journey from sedentary gamer to one who embraces... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3109077/hong-kong-e-sports-gamer-hotdog29-takes-health-and-fitness-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3109077/hong-kong-e-sports-gamer-hotdog29-takes-health-and-fitness-new?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:21 +0000 Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings said its marquee mobile game Honour of Kings has become the first game in history across any platform to average more than 100 million daily active users. At a live streamed event celebrating the fifth anniversary of Honour of Kings on Sunday night, Tencent’s TiMi Studio, the developer of the game, revealed that the game had averaged 100 million daily users for the first ten months of the year, which marks a new world record, according to the company. Honour... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3108108/tencent-says-honor-kings-becomes-first-game-average-over-100mn-daily?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3108108/tencent-says-honor-kings-becomes-first-game-average-over-100mn-daily?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:30:08 +0000 League of Legends: Wild Rift, the long-awaited mobile adaptation of the hit PC game League of Legends, finally got a regional beta in seven countries across Asia on Wednesday. The title from Tencent Holdings subsidiary Riot Games has been highly anticipated since it was announced in 2019, 10 years after the launch of the original. The game is now available to download on Google Play in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. Riot Games said on Weibo that... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3107467/league-legends-wild-rift-launches-its-mobile-beta-asia-while-americas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3107467/league-legends-wild-rift-launches-its-mobile-beta-asia-while-americas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Oct 2020 15:30:15 +0000 American athletic apparel giant Nike aired a glitzy e-sports commercial in China ahead of the popular League of Legends World Championship that just kicked off in Shanghai in a move to further capitalise on the e-sports mania in the world’s second-largest economy. Titled Next Level, the campaign was created by Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai and is Nike’s first e-sports commercial, according to trade publication Adweek. It depicts a legion of aspiring e-sports professionals joining a special training... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3104244/nike-airs-first-major-e-sports-ad-china-ahead-league-legends-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3104244/nike-airs-first-major-e-sports-ad-china-ahead-league-legends-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 12:00:14 +0000 Trouble for Tencent Holdings is only just beginning in the gaming industry, experts say. Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is investigating Tencent-owned video game companies, but despite these headwinds, the case may not be as strong as the one recently made against TikTok. CFIUS has sent letters to Epic Games, Riot Games and other Tencent-affiliated gaming companies inquiring about their security protocols for handling user... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3102132/regulatory-look-fortnite-and-league-legend-makers-could-unravel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3102132/regulatory-look-fortnite-and-league-legend-makers-could-unravel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2020 12:45:18 +0000 China’s capital, Beijing, is expected to become the country’s new e-sports hub under an ambitious initiative that will provide major subsidies to teams, arenas and video games that promote local culture. That initiative, called “E-sports Beijing 2020”, was unveiled over the weekend by Fu Hua, deputy minister at the publicity department of the Chinese Communist Party, on the occasion of three events held at the capital – the Beijing International Innovation and Development Conference, Light of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3097701/chinese-communist-party-aims-turn-beijing-e-sports-hub-backed-subsidy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3097701/chinese-communist-party-aims-turn-beijing-e-sports-hub-backed-subsidy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2020 21:30:10 +0000 The annual League of Legends World Championship, the e-sports industry’s most popular international tournament, will be staged for two consecutive years in China, where gamers outnumber the US population. League of Legends video game developer Riot Games, the US-based organiser of the world championship, said on Saturday that the tenth edition of the tournament will be held in Shanghai from September 25 to October 31, with the finals booked at the city’s Pudong Football Stadium, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3095799/league-legends-world-championship-be-held-china-two-consecutive-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3095799/league-legends-world-championship-be-held-china-two-consecutive-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2020 10:30:10 +0000 Nintendo Switch players in China can rejoice: They’re getting another game. Biped follows two cute robots trying to solve puzzles to complete their quest. The cooperative platformer comes from Next Studios owned by Tencent -- Nintendo’s official partner in China. It’s the same game maker behind the puzzle game Iris.Fall, also available on China’s Switch, and the audio mystery Unheard. Biped now joins the slim pickings officially available on the local version of Nintendo’s console. Next Studios... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3091699/chinas-nintendo-switch-gets-yet-another-tencent-game-biped?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3091699/chinas-nintendo-switch-gets-yet-another-tencent-game-biped?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jul 2020 10:37:33 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS At 23 years old, China’s most famous esports player says he can no longer play because of poor health. Uzi, the Shaquille O'Neal of Chinese esports In a post on microblogging site Weibo, Uzi said that he has decided to retire after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year. The condition is a result of constant stress, obesity, an irregular diet and staying up late, he said. “My physical condition doesn’t allow me to keep fighting,” Uzi said in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3087444/chinese-esports-superstar-uzi-announces-retirement-age-23?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3087444/chinese-esports-superstar-uzi-announces-retirement-age-23?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:00:19 +0000 At 23 years old, China’s most famous esports player says he can no longer play because of poor health.   In a post on microblogging site Weibo, Uzi said that he has decided to retire after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year. The condition is a result of constant stress, obesity, an irregular diet and staying up late, he said. “My physical condition doesn’t allow me to keep fighting,” Uzi said in the post. He cited shoulder pain, which has troubled him for years and prompted him to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-esports-superstar-uzi-announces-retirement-age-23/article/3087357?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-esports-superstar-uzi-announces-retirement-age-23/article/3087357?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:00:16 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Gaming companies can be touchy about where their games get played. Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts won’t let Nvidia host their games on its cloud gaming platform GeForce Now, for example. Now a similar battle is playing out in China with Tencent filing China’s first cloud gaming lawsuit to protect popular games like League of Legends. According to a court in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Tencent recently filed legal proceedings against... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3077107/tencent-files-chinas-first-cloud-gaming-lawsuit-over-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3077107/tencent-files-chinas-first-cloud-gaming-lawsuit-over-league?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2020 09:45:18 +0000 Gaming companies can be touchy about where their games get played. Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts won’t let Nvidia host their games on its cloud gaming platform GeForce Now, for example. Now a similar battle is playing out in China with Tencent filing China’s first cloud gaming lawsuit to protect popular games like League of Legends. According to a court in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Tencent recently filed legal proceedings against an unnamed tech company in Guangzhou.... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/tencent-files-chinas-first-cloud-gaming-lawsuit-over-league-legends/article/3077098?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/tencent-files-chinas-first-cloud-gaming-lawsuit-over-league-legends/article/3077098?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2020 09:45:16 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) is big business in China, where it has hundreds of millions of fans and many high-profile sponsors. After a nearly two-months-long delay, the popular esports league recently started its spring split online. But now all players and game casters are wearing masks, which they’re required to do in game rooms and in broadcast studios. Like the NFL or NBA, the LPL has a franchise-based system with home and away games,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3074899/esports-matches-resume-china-masked-players-and-casters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3074899/esports-matches-resume-china-masked-players-and-casters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2020 07:54:58 +0000 The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) is big business in China, where it has hundreds of millions of fans and many high-profile sponsors. After a nearly two-months-long delay, the popular esports league recently started its spring split online. But now all players and game casters are wearing masks, which they’re required to do in game rooms and in broadcast studios. Like the NFL or NBA, the LPL has a franchise-based system with home and away games, where hundreds of fans can show up to cheer... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/esports-matches-resume-china-masked-players-and-casters/article/3074875?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/esports-matches-resume-china-masked-players-and-casters/article/3074875?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2020 07:54:57 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS What would you do if I handed you four toilet rolls? Probably not what this man in China did.  Li Qingyi painted League of Legends characters -- all 148 of them -- on what he said was 50 meters (about 55 yards) of toilet paper. This video, which compresses the three-day process into eight minutes, shows you all four rolls in their entire glory.  MOBA explained: One of the most popular genres in esports is making a push on mobile This wasn’t the first... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3064665/artist-draws-league-legends-and-pokemon-toilet-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3064665/artist-draws-league-legends-and-pokemon-toilet-rolls?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2020 13:10:24 +0000 What would you do if I handed you four toilet rolls? Probably not what this man in China did.  Li Qingyi painted League of Legends characters -- all 148 of them -- on what he said was 50 meters (about 55 yards) of toilet paper. This video, which compresses the three-day process into eight minutes, shows you all four rolls in their entire glory.    This wasn’t the first time that Li got creative on toilet paper. He also drew all the Avengers who appeared in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, from Iron... https://www.scmp.com/games/artist-draws-league-legends-and-pokemon-toilet-rolls/article/3064640?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/artist-draws-league-legends-and-pokemon-toilet-rolls/article/3064640?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2020 13:10:22 +0000