Changes to European copyright laws have potentially opened the door for online gaming to be a source of music royalty revenue for the first time.

In the Tencent title, players can cruise around streets to catch virtual monsters, while rearing and trading cartoon kittens stored on a blockchain.

From streaming games to new subscription services to – gasp – not paying for new costumes and other extras, it’s all change in video game land, where new entrants like Google and Apple are introducing ideas not seen before.

The world’s biggest gaming market was once full of low-budget poker games

The State Administration of Press and Publications licensed 30 online games based on foreign intellectual property.

Gaming star was one of a few select professionals with huge followings pulled in by video game giant Electronic Arts Inc to play and promote its latest title

NetEase’s PUBG clone, Knives Out, was 2018’s top-grossing battle royale mobile game in China

China’s top media regulator has stopped accepting new applications for game licences as it struggles to clear a backlog of thousands of titles

Television character’s trademark move cannot be copyrighted, officials insist, meaning video game makers can use it – and others – as much as they want.

Almost 80 per cent of video game earnings came from free-to-play games last year, most of it earned through micro transactions. Asia produced seven out of the top 10 games of 2018, despite China blocking new games.

• Amazon’s Jeff Bezos was 2018’s biggest gainer, retaining his title as world’s richest man

Rapper 2 Milly’s signature dance move is being sold on the most popular video game of 2018. His lawsuit also accuses Epic Games of stealing other hip-hop artists’ moves.

More than a million people are tuned into Twitch at any moment to watch people playing video games, with the platform enjoying over half of the total market share for game streaming services.