https://www.scmp.com/rss/328442/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com A new mobile Pokémon game is coming from Tencent, but Chinese gamers don’t seem very excited about it. That’s in spite of the fact that the game is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, a popular genre in China. “Can a domestic game only be a MOBA and just re-skin [an existing game] to make money?” asked one person on the microblogging site Weibo, including a row of puke emojis and a Pokémon Unite hashtag. Tencent announced the upcoming Pokémon Unite on Wednesday, saying the game would... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/article/3090580/pokemon-unite-moba-game-disappointing-nintendo-fans-both-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/article/3090580/pokemon-unite-moba-game-disappointing-nintendo-fans-both-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jun 2020 11:33:41 +0000 Tencent’s mysterious Pokémon project has finally been revealed -- and it looks like the Chinese giant is drawing inspiration from its most famous game. Pokémon Unite is a new five-on-five team battle game coming to Nintendo Switch and smartphones. Players team up in multiplayer battles, each picking a Pokémon like Pikachu, Charmander or Snorlax. Then they venture out into an arena to battle wild Pokémon and capture territory from the opposing team -- while defending their own from attack. If... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3090471/tencents-pokemon-unite-league-legends-pikachu-nintendo-switch-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3090471/tencents-pokemon-unite-league-legends-pikachu-nintendo-switch-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:06:22 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS It’s been three years since Google’s AlphaGo marked a new era in artificial intelligence by beating champion Lee Sedol in Go, an ancient Chinese board game. Now AI is moving on to video games as players of China's most popular title recently found out. Honor of Kings is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) mobile game inspired by League of Legends. The fantasy role playing game, known internationally as Arena of Valor, has 70 million daily active... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3083018/players-chinas-most-popular-game-are-training-tencents-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3083018/players-chinas-most-popular-game-are-training-tencents-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2020 21:00:11 +0000 It’s been three years since Google’s AlphaGo marked a new era in artificial intelligence by beating champion Lee Sedol in Go, an ancient Chinese board game. Now AI is moving on to video games as players of China's most popular title recently found out. Honor of Kings is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) mobile game inspired by League of Legends. The fantasy role playing game, known internationally as Arena of Valor, has 70 million daily active users. It also has an AI player called... https://www.scmp.com/games/players-chinas-most-popular-game-are-training-tencents-ai/article/3082890?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/players-chinas-most-popular-game-are-training-tencents-ai/article/3082890?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2020 21:00:08 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Chinese gamers found themselves unable to play the country’s biggest game during the Labor Day holiday on Friday, and Tencent blames AI. A new mode in Honor of Kings, the Chinese version of Arena of Valor, lets players challenge the game’s AI. It proved popular enough to result in an outage for some players. When trying to load the game, some players said they got stuck at pairing while trying to join the mobile online battle arena game with other... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3082520/chinas-biggest-mobile-game-crashes-during-labor-day-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3082520/chinas-biggest-mobile-game-crashes-during-labor-day-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2020 11:27:59 +0000 Chinese gamers found themselves unable to play the country’s biggest game during the Labor Day holiday on Friday, and Tencent blames AI. A new mode in Honor of Kings, the Chinese version of Arena of Valor, lets players challenge the game’s AI. It proved popular enough to result in an outage for some players. When trying to load the game, some players said they got stuck at pairing while trying to join the mobile online battle arena game with other players. Complaints about the game crashing... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinas-biggest-mobile-game-crashes-during-labor-day-holiday/article/3082493?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinas-biggest-mobile-game-crashes-during-labor-day-holiday/article/3082493?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2020 11:27:57 +0000 Tencent Holdings Ltd. has taken one of its top-earning titles to scores of new countries from Russia to the Middle East, at a time the Covid-19 pandemic is fueling an unprecedented global gaming boom. The Chinese internet giant introduced Arena of Valor to 67 new markets on top of an existing 82, sharply expanding its footprint by launching in emerging markets. It hopes to draw new players to one of its longest-running and most profitable franchises, known in its home country as Honor of Kings,... https://www.scmp.com/games/arena-valor-going-global-tencent-pushes-game-67-new-markets/article/3080455?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/arena-valor-going-global-tencent-pushes-game-67-new-markets/article/3080455?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2020 12:47:05 +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 This article originally appeared on ABACUS People in part of the world’s biggest internet population have been trying to carry on with their daily lives from the confines of their own homes because of the coronavirus outbreak in China. But now they have to contend with a new inconvenience: The occasional server crash. On Sunday night, customers of one of the country’s most popular streaming services found their favorite shows go black all of a sudden. The surprise outage drove many viewers,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3051025/worlds-biggest-online-population-staying-home-and-chinas-internet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3051025/worlds-biggest-online-population-staying-home-and-chinas-internet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:15:36 +0000 People in part of the world’s biggest internet population have been trying to carry on with their daily lives from the confines of their own homes because of the coronavirus outbreak in China. But now they have to contend with a new inconvenience: The occasional server crash. On Sunday night, customers of one of the country’s most popular streaming services found their favorite shows go black all of a sudden. The surprise outage drove many viewers, stuck at home with little else to do, to... https://www.scmp.com/culture/worlds-biggest-online-population-staying-home-and-chinas-internet-cant-cope/article/3050947?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/worlds-biggest-online-population-staying-home-and-chinas-internet-cant-cope/article/3050947?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:15:35 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Tencent is investing in yet another big overseas gaming company, with iconic action game maker PlatinumGames being the Chinese tech giant’s latest target.  The esteemed Japanese studio behind Bayonetta, Nier: Automata and Astral Chain announced that Tencent invested an undisclosed amount of money in the gaming company. But the Osaka-based developer said the new “partnership” with Tencent will have “no effect on the independence” of the company. Concerns... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3045088/will-bayonetta-maker-platinumgames-change-after-tencent-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3045088/will-bayonetta-maker-platinumgames-change-after-tencent-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2020 15:20:45 +0000 Tencent is investing in yet another big overseas gaming company, with iconic action game maker PlatinumGames being the Chinese tech giant’s latest target.  The esteemed Japanese studio behind Bayonetta, Nier: Automata and Astral Chain announced that Tencent invested an undisclosed amount of money in the gaming company. But the Osaka-based developer said the new “partnership” with Tencent will have “no effect on the independence” of the company. Concerns about how investment from China affects... https://www.scmp.com/games/will-bayonetta-maker-platinumgames-change-after-tencent-investment/article/3045048?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/will-bayonetta-maker-platinumgames-change-after-tencent-investment/article/3045048?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2020 15:20:44 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Fortnite might be two years old, but it’s still got gamers hooked. For the second year in a row, the battle royale shooter was the world’s top free-to-play game, making US$1.8 billion in 2019 according to market research firm SuperData. It trounced Dungeon Fighter Online and Honor of Kings, which came in at second and third. Despite its runaway popularity, Fortnite hasn’t quite caught on in China, the world’s biggest gaming market. Part of the reason is... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3044473/fortnite-2019s-top-grossing-game-despite-making-no-money-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3044473/fortnite-2019s-top-grossing-game-despite-making-no-money-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jan 2020 06:20:15 +0000 Fortnite might be two years old, but it’s still got gamers hooked. For the second year in a row, the battle royale shooter was the world’s top free-to-play game, making US$1.8 billion in 2019 according to market research firm SuperData. It trounced Dungeon Fighter Online and Honor of Kings, which came in at second and third. Despite its runaway popularity, Fortnite hasn’t quite caught on in China, the world’s biggest gaming market. Part of the reason is that it still hasn’t received government... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/fortnite-2019s-top-grossing-game-despite-making-no-money-china/article/3044443?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/fortnite-2019s-top-grossing-game-despite-making-no-money-china/article/3044443?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jan 2020 06:20:14 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS While Western gamers are still primarily occupied with console and PC gaming, mobile gaming has become all the rage in China. With 459 million mobile gamers in the country, Chinese gaming companies are jostling to release the next big mobile game on the market Recent trends have shown that Chinese mobile games are finding success both at home and overseas. Two of the most downloaded mobile games today -- Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile -- are... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3043504/call-duty-mobile-auto-chess-here-are-chinas-15-best-mobile-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3043504/call-duty-mobile-auto-chess-here-are-chinas-15-best-mobile-games?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2019 16:00:15 +0000 While Western gamers are still primarily occupied with console and PC gaming, mobile gaming has become all the rage in China. With 459 million mobile gamers in the country, Chinese gaming companies are jostling to release the next big mobile game on the market.  Recent trends have shown that Chinese mobile games are finding success both at home and overseas. Two of the most downloaded mobile games today -- Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile -- are blockbuster hits made by Chinese tech giant... https://www.scmp.com/games/call-duty-mobile-auto-chess-here-are-chinas-15-best-mobile-games/article/3039738?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/call-duty-mobile-auto-chess-here-are-chinas-15-best-mobile-games/article/3039738?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2019 16:00:12 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Twitch might be synonymous with live-streaming games in the US, but in China, there are two giants dominating the field. Douyu is the larger of the two, but rival Huya is growing fast by focusing on a different target: Mobile games like Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile. Huya made its platform more mobile friendly in a bid to beat its larger rival, and in a way, it’s working. Huya’s 146 million monthly active users (MAUs) might fall short of Douyu’s... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3038692/how-live-streaming-site-huya-uses-mobile-beat-its-larger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3038692/how-live-streaming-site-huya-uses-mobile-beat-its-larger?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2019 02:05:28 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS One of the world’s biggest games is about to get even bigger. But just because League of Legends is coming to smartphones doesn’t mean it’s going to be exactly the same as the PC version, and players are going to have to adjust. How do we know? Because League of Legends is late to the party. Similar MOBA games are already huge on smartphones in China and Southeast Asia, and they offer crucial clues to how League of Legends: Wild Rift is going to be... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3033653/how-smartphones-are-going-change-league-legends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3033653/how-smartphones-are-going-change-league-legends?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2019 15:23:44 +0000 One of the world’s biggest games is about to get even bigger. But just because League of Legends is coming to smartphones doesn’t mean it’s going to be exactly the same as the PC version, and players are going to have to adjust. How do we know? Because League of Legends is late to the party. Similar MOBA games are already huge on smartphones in China and Southeast Asia, and they offer crucial clues to how League of Legends: Wild Rift is going to be different to the PC original.   Commentator... https://www.scmp.com/games/how-smartphones-are-going-change-league-legends/article/3033306?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/how-smartphones-are-going-change-league-legends/article/3033306?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2019 15:23:43 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The Southeast Asian Games will make history this year by featuring esports as a medal sport for the first time. But when organizers sought input on what games to include, they got a surprising answer from Tencent. Organizers expected the Chinese gaming giant to recommend League of Legends, the popular MOBA game from subsidiary Riot Games. Shockingly, Tencent instead recommended the mobile League of Legends clone Arena of Valor, the organizers told... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3033293/why-future-league-legends-mobile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3033293/why-future-league-legends-mobile?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 02:00:11 +0000 The Southeast Asian Games will make history this year by featuring esports as a medal sport for the first time. But when organizers sought input on what games to include, they got a surprising answer from Tencent. Organizers expected the Chinese gaming giant to recommend League of Legends, the popular MOBA game from subsidiary Riot Games. Shockingly, Tencent instead recommended the mobile League of Legends clone Arena of Valor, the organizers told Abacus.     While Tencent is best known for its... https://www.scmp.com/games/why-future-league-legends-mobile/article/3033225?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/why-future-league-legends-mobile/article/3033225?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 02:00:09 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Honor of Kings is not just China’s most popular video game. The MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) mobile game has become a full-fledged phenomenon with 200 million players at its peak. But now gamers are dropping it, and it’s not just because they’re turning to even hotter games. Known internationally as Arena of Valor, Honor of Kings lost about 34% of its monthly active users since last year, according to a report from Chinese market research... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029276/players-are-dropping-chinas-most-popular-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029276/players-are-dropping-chinas-most-popular-game?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2019 14:35:57 +0000 Honor of Kings is not just China’s most popular video game. The MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) mobile game has become a full-fledged phenomenon with 200 million players at its peak. But now gamers are dropping it, and it’s not just because they’re turning to even hotter games. Known internationally as Arena of Valor, Honor of Kings lost about 34% of its monthly active users since last year, according to a report from Chinese market research company Analysys. The time spent playing the... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/players-are-dropping-chinas-most-popular-game/article/3005532?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/players-are-dropping-chinas-most-popular-game/article/3005532?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2019 14:35:57 +0000 Who’s best friends with Tigger? Winnie the Pooh, of course. But answering this seemingly innocent question allegedly led to some players being banned from Overwatch in China. Winnie the Pooh is a taboo in China, because of the cartoon bear’s apparent resemblance to President Xi Jinping. With political discussion and criticism discouraged on Chinese social media, netizens often use Winnie the Pooh as a sort of code to mock the country’s president. But is it true? Can you get banned for typing... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/can-typing-winnie-pooh-really-get-you-banned-overwatch/article/3001703?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/can-typing-winnie-pooh-really-get-you-banned-overwatch/article/3001703?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:03:12 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Who’s best friends with Tigger? Winnie the Pooh, of course. But answering this seemingly innocent question allegedly led to some players being banned from Overwatch in China. Winnie the Pooh is a taboo in China, because of the cartoon bear’s apparent resemblance to President Xi Jinping. With political discussion and criticism discouraged on Chinese social media, netizens often use Winnie the Pooh as a sort of code to mock the country’s president. But... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029217/can-typing-winnie-pooh-really-get-you-banned-overwatch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029217/can-typing-winnie-pooh-really-get-you-banned-overwatch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:03:12 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Most parents want to ensure their children aren't being harmed by playing video games. But while American parents have a great deal of freedom to decide how they want to monitor their kids' gaming behavior, in China those choices are often made by companies pressured by the government. Chinese gaming giant Tencent already imposes various controls on young players’ game time. But this week, it’s testing a new feature: A monitoring system that sends... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029187/china-versus-us-who-controls-how-long-kids-can-play-video-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029187/china-versus-us-who-controls-how-long-kids-can-play-video-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:05:53 +0000 Most parents want to ensure their children aren't being harmed by playing video games. But while American parents have a great deal of freedom to decide how they want to monitor their kids' gaming behavior, in China those choices are often made by companies pressured by the government. Chinese gaming giant Tencent already imposes various controls on young players’ game time. But this week, it’s testing a new feature: A monitoring system that sends teachers daily updates of how long their... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/china-versus-us-who-controls-how-long-kids-can-play-video-games/article/3000998?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/china-versus-us-who-controls-how-long-kids-can-play-video-games/article/3000998?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:05:53 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS You can find all sorts of toys in the shape of game characters -- but have you ever wished they could also play music, read you the weather forecast, and answer questions? Well, maybe you haven’t. But that dream has nonetheless come true in China, where the country’s biggest game publisher Tencent has released a smart speaker in the shape of feisty archer Sun Shangxiang from Honor of Kings -- known as Arena of Valor in the West. Arena of Valor, China’s... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029042/forget-siri-or-alexa-smart-speaker-coaches-you-play-arena-valor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029042/forget-siri-or-alexa-smart-speaker-coaches-you-play-arena-valor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Dec 2018 11:02:25 +0000 You can find all sorts of toys in the shape of game characters -- but have you ever wished they could also play music, read you the weather forecast, and answer questions? Well, maybe you haven’t. But that dream has nonetheless come true in China, where the country’s biggest game publisher Tencent has released a smart speaker in the shape of feisty archer Sun Shangxiang from Honor of Kings -- known as Arena of Valor in the West.   At US$218, it doesn’t come cheap. But for the price of five... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/forget-siri-or-alexa-smart-speaker-coaches-you-play-arena-valor/article/2177747?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/forget-siri-or-alexa-smart-speaker-coaches-you-play-arena-valor/article/2177747?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Dec 2018 11:02:25 +0000 You might have seen many console games being ported to mobile, but here's one that works the other way around. I'm a big fan of Tencent's mobile MOBA Arena of Valor. I play it all the time on my iPhone. Now I played the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which was released just two months ago, in hopes of comparing the two. My verdict? This iteration, with much improved graphics, is a decent game but -- and I know this will sound weird -- the original mobile version is superior.   Let’s talk... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/arena-valor-decent-game-nintendo-switch-better-mobile/article/2175643?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/arena-valor-decent-game-nintendo-switch-better-mobile/article/2175643?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Nov 2018 11:25:21 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS You might have seen many console games being ported to mobile, but here's one that works the other way around. I'm a big fan of Tencent's mobile MOBA Arena of Valor. I play it all the time on my iPhone. Now I played the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which was released just two months ago, in hopes of comparing the two. My verdict? This iteration, with much improved graphics, is a decent game but -- and I know this will sound weird -- the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029010/arena-valor-decent-game-nintendo-switch-better-mobile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029010/arena-valor-decent-game-nintendo-switch-better-mobile?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Nov 2018 11:25:21 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The most popular game in China, the mobile game Honor of Kings (known as Arena of Valor elsewhere) just got Pokémon GO-ed. Arena of Valor, China’s mobile League of Legends, is aiming to be the world’s go-to mobile esport  ​Well, not quite. The game’s newly launched AR function doesn’t really have that many, er, functions. But it does allow you to see imaginary people without doubting your own sanity. ​ The in-game AR function was announced on the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3028997/chinas-most-popular-game-honor-kings-now-has-ar-function?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3028997/chinas-most-popular-game-honor-kings-now-has-ar-function?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Nov 2018 10:00:19 +0000 The most popular game in China, the mobile game Honor of Kings (known as Arena of Valor elsewhere) just got Pokémon GO-ed.    ​Well, not quite. The game’s newly launched AR function doesn’t really have that many, er, functions. But it does allow you to see imaginary people without doubting your own sanity. ​ The in-game AR function was announced on the game’s Weibo account on Sunday with the company saying it will present a hot new character on Thursday, called Li Xin. We’re not exactly sure... https://www.scmp.com/chinas-most-popular-game-honor-kings-now-has-ar-function/article/2174500?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/chinas-most-popular-game-honor-kings-now-has-ar-function/article/2174500?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Nov 2018 10:00:19 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Streaming games online is big business. Proof? Playing Fortnite was making American streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins more than US$500,000 a month earlier this year. The same thing is happening in China. Haitao “Haishi” Jiang made more than US$1.5 million in less than a year on streaming platform Huya by playing Honor of Kings, known as Arena of Valor in the West. Arena of Valor, China’s mobile League of Legends, is aiming to be the world’s go-to mobile... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3028992/chinas-answer-ninja-fined-us7-million-switching-streaming-platforms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3028992/chinas-answer-ninja-fined-us7-million-switching-streaming-platforms?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Nov 2018 12:42:19 +0000 Streaming games online is big business. Proof? Playing Fortnite was making American streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins more than US$500,000 a month earlier this year. The same thing is happening in China. Haitao “Haishi” Jiang made more than US$1.5 million in less than a year on streaming platform Huya by playing Honor of Kings, known as Arena of Valor in the West.   But apparently, despite that mind-bogglingly fat paycheck, the then 19-year-old had other ideas. He decided to switch over to rival... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chinas-answer-ninja-fined-us7-million-switching-streaming-platforms/article/2174308?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chinas-answer-ninja-fined-us7-million-switching-streaming-platforms/article/2174308?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Nov 2018 12:42:19 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The world’s largest gaming company wants to make people spend less time playing its games. Tencent says it’s implementing the “strictest” identity system in all of its games, forcing gamers to prove who they really are before they can play -- and allowing them to limit playtime for children. But gamers are skeptical that the system will work -- and say they’ll continue to find ways around the system. It started almost a year ago, when Tencent first... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3028951/gamers-say-they-can-cheat-tencents-id-check-system-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3028951/gamers-say-they-can-cheat-tencents-id-check-system-games?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2018 13:48:09 +0000 The world’s largest gaming company wants to make people spend less time playing its games. Tencent says it’s implementing the “strictest” identity system in all of its games, forcing gamers to prove who they really are before they can play -- and allowing them to limit playtime for children. But gamers are skeptical that the system will work -- and say they’ll continue to find ways around the system. It started almost a year ago, when Tencent first asked players to provide their IDs before they... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/gamers-say-they-can-cheat-tencents-id-check-system-games/article/2171959?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/gamers-say-they-can-cheat-tencents-id-check-system-games/article/2171959?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Nov 2018 13:48:09 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Play PUBG Mobile, NBA 2K Online, or League of Legends in China? Next year, you’ll have to let Tencent check your national ID against police records if you want to keep on playing. The company has announced on a WeChat post that it plans to make verifications mandatory for every single game in its library -- both on mobile and PC. It’s an extension to the policy it introduced in September to its mobile blockbuster Honor of Kings (known as Arena of Valor... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3028946/youll-need-prove-your-age-play-tencent-game-china-next-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3028946/youll-need-prove-your-age-play-tencent-game-china-next-year?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:44:50 +0000 Play PUBG Mobile, NBA 2K Online, or League of Legends in China? Next year, you’ll have to let Tencent check your national ID against police records if you want to keep on playing. The company has announced on a WeChat post that it plans to make verifications mandatory for every single game in its library -- both on mobile and PC. It’s an extension to the policy it introduced in September to its mobile blockbuster Honor of Kings (known as Arena of Valor outside of China), aimed at screening out... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/youll-need-prove-your-age-play-tencent-game-china-next-year/article/2171774?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/youll-need-prove-your-age-play-tencent-game-china-next-year/article/2171774?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:44:50 +0000 Imagine playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), but instead of guns, you use spells and heavy swords. And instead of playing with a first-person perspective, you get a bird’s eye view of the game.   Yup, this is the battle royale mode of China’s biggest mobile game, Honor of Kings, which is known as Arena of Valor elsewhere. It was first announced in May, and I tried it out on Wednesday.   In battle royale games such as PUBG and Fortnite, 100 equally unarmed players parachute onto a huge... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chicken-dinner-moba-we-played-honor-kings-battle-royale-mode/article/2168964?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chicken-dinner-moba-we-played-honor-kings-battle-royale-mode/article/2168964?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Oct 2018 12:00:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Imagine playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), but instead of guns, you use spells and heavy swords. And instead of playing with a first-person perspective, you get a bird’s eye view of the game. PUBG, the battle royale pioneer Yup, this is the battle royale mode of China’s biggest mobile game, Honor of Kings, which is known as Arena of Valor elsewhere. It was first announced in May, and I tried it out on Wednesday. Arena of Valor, China’s... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3028900/chicken-dinner-moba-we-played-honor-kings-battle-royale-mode?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3028900/chicken-dinner-moba-we-played-honor-kings-battle-royale-mode?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Oct 2018 12:00:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS State media has been saying for months that Chinese kids spend too much time playing mobile games, but now the concern is focused on one group: Children living in rural areas. In a segment called “The left-behind children indulge in mobile games”, state broadcaster CCTV blasted the influence mobile games have on so-called left-behind children -- those who stay behind in rural areas after their parents moved to bigger cities to find work. “Online games... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3028894/chinas-state-media-smartphone-games-are-ruining-rural-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3028894/chinas-state-media-smartphone-games-are-ruining-rural-children?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Oct 2018 10:06:34 +0000 State media has been saying for months that Chinese kids spend too much time playing mobile games, but now the concern is focused on one group: Children living in rural areas. In a segment called “The left-behind children indulge in mobile games”, state broadcaster CCTV blasted the influence mobile games have on so-called left-behind children -- those who stay behind in rural areas after their parents moved to bigger cities to find work. “Online games are gradually devouring the countryside,”... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chinas-state-media-smartphone-games-are-ruining-rural-children/article/2168603?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chinas-state-media-smartphone-games-are-ruining-rural-children/article/2168603?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Oct 2018 10:06:34 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Right now, there are just a handful of tech companies in the world worth more than US$500 billion. The first Asian tech firm to join that exclusive club? Tencent, putting it among the ranks of Apple, Google and Facebook. EARLY BIRD The story of Tencent’s rise goes hand in hand with China’s dramatic internet boom that began in the 1990s: Between 1994 and 1998, the number of web users grew from only 1,600 to more than two million. At that time, a young... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3028234/tencent-chinas-social-and-entertainment-giant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3028234/tencent-chinas-social-and-entertainment-giant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:38:02 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Last month when Tencent said they were going to check the name and national ID of gamers against police records, some people suggested they might as well scan their faces too. Turns out, that’s exactly what Tencent is thinking. The company says a test is now underway in Honor of Kings -- its blockbuster smartphone game, known as Arena of Valor outside of China -- to verify players’ identity with facial recognition. Arena of Valor, China’s mobile League... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3028858/honor-kings-experiments-facial-recognition-identify-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3028858/honor-kings-experiments-facial-recognition-identify-players?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Oct 2018 11:12:54 +0000 Last month when Tencent said they were going to check the name and national ID of gamers against police records, some people suggested they might as well scan their faces too. Turns out, that’s exactly what Tencent is thinking. The company says a test is now underway in Honor of Kings -- its blockbuster smartphone game, known as Arena of Valor outside of China -- to verify players’ identity with facial recognition.   The system will select around 1,000 new users at random in Beijing and... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/honor-kings-experiments-facial-recognition-identify-players/article/2166517?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/honor-kings-experiments-facial-recognition-identify-players/article/2166517?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Oct 2018 11:12:54 +0000 The Nintendo Switch isn’t officially available in China… but it’s also available everywhere in the country. Now gamers in China are reportedly finding that they cannot play online anymore, after Nintendo launched its paid online gaming service. Gamers in China told Abacus that they’re having trouble connecting to Nintendo eShop, and failing to connect to other players in online games. Other reports seemingly confirm the issues, citing that players in China are encountering "black screens and... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/gamers-china-cant-play-online-games-nintendo-switch-anymore/article/2166039?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/gamers-china-cant-play-online-games-nintendo-switch-anymore/article/2166039?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Sep 2018 14:35:28 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The Nintendo Switch isn’t officially available in China… but it’s also available everywhere in the country. Now gamers in China are reportedly finding that they cannot play online anymore, after Nintendo launched its paid online gaming service. Gamers in China told Abacus that they’re having trouble connecting to Nintendo eShop, and failing to connect to other players in online games. Other reports seemingly confirm the issues, citing that players in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3028851/gamers-china-cant-play-online-games-nintendo-switch-anymore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3028851/gamers-china-cant-play-online-games-nintendo-switch-anymore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Sep 2018 14:35:28 +0000 The boss of Grand Theft Auto is taking aim at what he thinks is unfair treatment by China. The CEO of Take-Two Interactive, which owns the companies behind huge franchises like GTA, NBA 2K and Red Dead Redemption, called it a “completely odd and unequal situation.” At a conference call with Goldman Sachs, Strauss Zelnick said, “At the risk of being a little bit political, our government actually does need to take a position with regard to our trade with China.” Zelnick pointed out that Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/grand-theft-auto-maker-calls-us-china-video-game-trade-unequal/article/2164464?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/grand-theft-auto-maker-calls-us-china-video-game-trade-unequal/article/2164464?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Sep 2018 10:45:12 +0000