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Alibaba raised US$4.5 billion from the sale of convertible bonds last week. Photo: Reuters

Alibaba, JD.com convertible bond sales may spur other Chinese tech giants

Meituan, Tencent, NetEase and PDD Holdings are potential candidates to sell convertibles, according to UOB Kay Hian analyst Julia Pan.

In a high interest-rate environment, convertibles are preferred to regular debt, particularly for firms that need forex but get most of their revenue domestically
Meituan, Tencent, NetEase and PDD Holdings are potential candidates to sell convertibles, according to UOB Kay Hian analyst Julia Pan

27 May 2024 - 3:46PM

NetEase unveils updates on more than 10 new titles, led by Where Winds Meet

21 May 2024 - 11:12PM

Tencent, NetEase to release new titles back to back in sign of intensified rivalry

14 May 2024 - 1:10PM

Alibaba subsidiary Lingxi Games shuts down game engine project

Lingxi Games has discontinued its Ant Engine project, as parent Alibaba pares down investment in its non-core businesses.

9 May 2024 - 7:00AM

Alibaba Group Holding continues to adjust or divest its interests in certain non-core businesses, including video gaming. Photo: Shutterstock

China approves 95 video games in April, including new Sony and NetEase titles

This was the smallest batch of video games approved so far this year by regulator the National Press and Publication Administration.

27 Apr 2024 - 5:00PMvideocam

Microsoft’s Blizzard resumes NetEase partnership after bitter break-up

Blizzard Entertainment is resuming its partnership with NetEase under its new owner Microsoft, marking a revival of a long running US-China video game pact that had an acrimonious break-up over a year ago.

10 Apr 2024 - 3:21PM

Blizzard and NetEase to make up this week, bring hit games back to China

The US gaming giant behind the popular Warcraft and Diablo series and long-time partner NetEase are expected to announce a new deal on Wednesday.

9 Apr 2024 - 9:00PM

A new agreement between Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase is expected to bring hit video game titles back to China after an absence of more than a year. Photo: Shutterstock

World of Warcraft video game developer Blizzard to return to China soon: report

Blizzard is preparing to return to the Chinese video games market in the coming weeks after renewing partnership with NetEase, according to local media report.

14 Mar 2024 - 7:00AM

Black Myth: Wukong among China’s latest batch of approved video games

China grants licences to more than 100 new domestic titles, giving the industry another confidence boost after a video-game-related stock rout in December.

28 Feb 2024 - 7:00AMvideocam

Beijing approves Dungeon & Fighter Mobile, giving Tencent a boost

China has approved a new batch of foreign video games on Friday, including hit title Dungeon & Fighter Mobile, as Beijing seeks to reassure the market after scrapping a controversial gaming regulation.

28 May 2024 - 3:49PM

A screenshot of Dungeon & Fighter Mobile, operated in China by Tencent Holdings. Photo: Handout

Tencent chairman Pony Ma sets confident tone for internet giant in 2024

The Shenzhen-based internet giant must find new lifelines in its video gaming and social media operations, Ma told employees at the firm’s annual meeting.

29 Jan 2024 - 9:39PM

Tencent Holdings chairman and chief executive Pony Ma Huateng urged employees to maintain a calmer attitude this year amid the government’s regulatory initiatives. Photo: Bloomberg

China approves 115 video games for January, signalling support after market rout

The 115 video game approvals tops the 105 approved in December as Beijing seeks to signal support for the industry after scrapping controversial new rules.

26 Jan 2024 - 8:00PMvideocam

China convenes Huawei, Tencent, Baidu to draft metaverse standards

The newly formed working group is tasked with building, maintaining and promoting metaverse industry standards, China’s technology regulator says.

20 Jan 2024 - 4:11PMvideocam

Will China’s video gaming industry return to having fun in 2024?

Althiough 2023 ended with a market rout, many analysts expect more overseas opportunities for Chinese video game developers in 2024, helped by quality titles.

13 Jan 2024 - 12:00PM

China-backed games continue to make headlines around the world, and analysts see overseas opportunities for domestic video game firms Illustration: SCMP/Lau Ka-kuen

Huawei’s HarmonyOS tipped to beat Apple’s iOS in China in 2024: TechInsights

TechInsights expects HarmonyOS to take share from both Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS in China in 2024, driven by Huawei’s return to 5G smartphone segment.

4 Jan 2024 - 11:57AM

Increased HarmonyOS adoption will be driven by Huawei’s return to the 5G smartphone segment. Photo: Shutterstock

Exclusive | Chinese video gaming official steps down after stock market rout, sources say

Top official’s departure comes as Beijing attempts to limit the damage from draft rules aimed at reining back spending on video games, which sparked a market rout.

3 Jan 2024 - 10:54AMvideocam

Baidu’s bid to buy Joyy’s live-streaming business lapses

Baidu says its bid to buy Joyy’s YY Live has expired three years after it was unveiled because regulators did not approve the transaction.

2 Jan 2024 - 2:28PM

World of Warcraft may return to China next year in new Blizzard-NetEase deal

After the partnership fell apart in January, Blizzard sought to work with other Chinese companies before renewing with NetEase, Chinese media reported.

26 Dec 2023 - 6:00PMvideocam

A college student plays the online game World of Warcraft in his dormitory room in southwest China’s Chongqing. Photo: AP

China’s Christmas gift to game developers: 105 approved titles, the most all year

Beijing’s December batch of game approvals is the most since July 2022, in a positive signal to the industry after draft rules tightening user spending.

25 Dec 2023 - 3:16PMvideocam

China to curb excess spending on video games in blow for world’s biggest market

Beijing is moving to curb excessive spending on video games across the country, according to a new draft regulation, dealing another blow to the world’s largest video gaming market after a lengthy government crackdown.

23 Dec 2023 - 1:23AMvideocam

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China’s video game sales up 14 per cent this year, as overseas growth slows

China’s video game industry saw double-digit growth this year after a small decline in 2022, but overseas revenue fell as fierce competition and changes in privacy policies increased operating costs abroad.

16 Dec 2023 - 9:00AM

A group of people use their mobile phones to play online video games in Beijing, September 21, 2022. Photo: AFP

League of Legends ‘makes world warmer’: Chinese game makers tout ‘social values’

China’s top video game studios bragged at an industry gathering about including Chinese cultural elements and ‘patriotic spirit’ in their titles.

15 Dec 2023 - 2:00PMvideocam

League of Legends: Wild Rift has been one of the most anticipated games in 2020. Photo: Riot Games

China Big Tech rankings see shake up as NetEase overtakes Meituan for No 4 spot

China’s Big Tech landscape continues to undergo seismic shifts, with video gaming and news portal NetEase overtaking food delivery giant Meituan as the country’s fourth most valuable listed technology company.

14 Dec 2023 - 9:00PM

The resurrection of China’s video gaming industry

11 Dec 2023 - 11:00AM

Ant Group, Huawei join forces to build HarmonyOS-based Alipay app

The strategic cooperation between Ant and Huawei underscores the growing momentum of HarmonyOS’ adoption in the world’s biggest e-commerce and smartphone market.

8 Dec 2023 - 9:30PM

The collaboration between Ant Group and Huawei Technologies is expected to benefit consumers who use Alipay and the Chinese tech giant’s devices across different scenarios. Photo: Shutterstock

McDonald’s China teams up with Huawei to build native apps based on HarmonyOS

McDonald’s China unit is part of the first batch of multinational food companies on the mainland that have committed to build apps based on Huawei’s self-developed HarmonyOS mobile platform.

7 Dec 2023 - 7:30PMvideocam

HarmonyOS Next, the new version of Huawei Technologies’ mobile operating system, will enable McDonald’s China customers to order meals by accessing its applications from various devices, including smartphones, tablets and smart cars. Photo: Shutterstock.

China approves 87 new video games, including Tom Clancy’s The Division spin-off

Tencent-backed Ubisoft, NetEase, Perfect World, Lilith Games and Hypergryph lead list of major video game publishers with approved titles in November.

5 Dec 2023 - 9:30PM

ByteDance makes big cuts at gaming studio in retreat from stagnating market

The social media giant is cutting hundreds of jobs at its flagship Nuverse studio, and will shut down development on most unlaunched titles a year after cuts at two related studios.

28 Nov 2023 - 1:14PMvideocam

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NetEase

NetEase is the second-largest online gaming firm in China, behind only Tencent. It develops both online PC and mobile games, including flagship titles such as Justice and Fantasy Westward Journey, two Chinese online role-playing games; and Eggy Party, a mobile casual party game. The company has also signed a deal with Blizzard to bring World of Warcraft to China. NetEase also operates NetEase Cloud Music, a music streaming service with more than 200 million active users.