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Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear

Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear

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On December 22, Tencent Holdings spearheaded an unprecedented $80 billion downturn in China’s digital sphere, sparked by the unanticipated enforcement of fresh gaming restrictions. The announcement, issued by the top gaming regulator, aimed to curb excessive spending and time commitment within gaming platforms.

Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear

Image Source: business-standard.com

The new regulations encompass a spectrum of limitations, from capping individual in-game expenditures to prohibiting incentives for frequent log-ins and compulsive player challenges. This move evoked vivid memories of the 2021 tech industry crackdown, which disrupted sectors like e-commerce and education, deeply impacting companies like Ant Group Co. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Investor Bewilderment and Market Fallout

Tencent, along with counterparts NetEase Inc. and Bilibili Inc., witnessed staggering drops in market value, signaling investor concern about the unforeseen and ambiguous nature of the regulatory changes. Developers and designers flooded social platforms with confusion and outrage, particularly perturbed by the undefined spending caps that could severely impact revenue streams reliant on in-game purchases.

Lingering Apprehension and Industry Outlook

Industry analysts and market participants expressed apprehension about potential future measures targeting the internet sector, paralleling past stringent actions against various industries. The regulatory interventions, although ostensibly focused on gaming addiction and cultural preservation, sent shockwaves across investors and industry insiders, prompting concerns about the broader implications for market stability and growth.

The ambiguous wording of the regulations left stakeholders grappling with uncertainties, with the rules lacking clarity on their commencement and potential revisions based on public feedback. While Tencent’s reassurances about maintaining operational continuity provided some solace, skepticism prevails amidst fears of prolonged regulatory pressure on the digital landscape.

Also Read: Saudi’s Tabby Gets $700 Million Credit Line From JPMorgan

Impact on Global Gaming Paradigm

Beyond China’s borders, these developments might signal a shift away from the prevalent freemium model, potentially influencing international gaming policies concerning addiction and in-game spending. Analysts foresee a domino effect, prompting other countries to contemplate measures against addictive gaming practices.

The resilience or reversal of these stringent measures remains contingent on public response and ongoing discussions between stakeholders and regulatory bodies. As the industry braces for a potentially transformative phase, the implications of China’s regulatory stance on its colossal digital market will reverberate globally, influencing future gaming paradigms and regulatory frameworks.

BGMI

BGMI Banned in India: Here’s What Google and Krafton Said.

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The most addictive and famous game, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), is removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store after a Government order. Despite its disappearance from app stores, it will run on the devices it is already installed on. This game was the altered version of PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) which was a battle royal game, developed by Krafton. BGMI had over 100 million registered users in the country just after a year it was relaunched after PUBG was deemed illegal in India. 

In
2020, the Indian government banned twenty Chinese apps and it was on
the list of banned apps because of its involvement with the Chinese
game development firm Tencent Games. Those apps were banned due to
security risk reasons. 

An NGO, PRAHAR, has requested the government to ban the Chinese gaming application BGMI in February 2020 and to enlist it in the fifty-four Chinese app list, stating its unavailability in the list is a “clear lapse in judgement on part of the Government”. 

Source: www.news18.com

RSS,
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh confederate Swadeshi Jagran Manch,
has also supported PRAHAR’s request and urged for an investigation
on antecedents and Chinese influence on BGMI, according to a report
by IANS. 

BGMI
Image source: indiatvnews.com

Google
has officially announced that it has received an official order for
the removal of BGMI from the India Government and Krafton confirmed
the same. 

Google in a statement said, “On receipt of the order, following established process, we have notified the affected developer and have blocked access to the app that remained available on the Play Store in India.”

Source: www.91mobiles.com

Why It Is Banned?

Meanwhile, Krafton said, “we are clarifying how BGMI was removed from Google Play and will let you know once we get specific information.”

Source: www.91mobiles.com

While there is not any proper statement or reason given for its ban, #BGMI, and #BGMIban hashtags are trending on Twitter. It seems to have connected to the violent incidents happening. Recently, there was an incident where a 16-year-old boy shot and killed his mother only because of some argument over online games such as PUBG. The incident was under investigation. 

While
some reports mentioned the reason as the same as PUBG Mobile, the
government is distressed about the issues regarding data
transmigration and its connection to the Chinese firms. The real
reason will be soon disclosed by the government. 

Rajeev
Chandrashekhar, Union Minister, also noted that banned apps such as
PUBG, which were banned in India, are resurfacing in new forms
targeting BGMI, as it was also launched as the latest version of PUBG
Mobile. 

BGMI
has been the most renowned app among Chinese apps that was rebranded
and relaunched with similar features and managed to stay out of
government eyes. Maybe because of its high popularity among gamers. 
 

Its
developer Krafton seemed to have invested about 100 million U.S
dollars for the development and relaunching of BGMI and an esports
ecosystem over the past years in India. So, the ban of this game will
be a big blow to it in India. It will also affect the gaming market
in India. The firm recently declared surpassing 100 million
registered android and Ios users. chief Executive officer of Krafton,
Changhan Kim, said 

“India is an important market for Krafton. We are positive about the opportunities in the country and are committed to create a robust gaming ecosystem. Our focus is pivoted towards constantly elevating the mobile gaming experience for our growing community and invest in the flourishing start-up landscape here”.

Source: gadgets360.com

Battlegrounds Mobile India

Battlegrounds Mobile India July Update Is Now Available, Including Mission Ignition Mode, Tesla Gigafactory, and Other Features

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The first content update since its official release on 2 July has been received by Battlegrounds Mobile India, the PUBG Mobile Indian avatar. The update introduces Mission Ignition, a new time-limited mode, and a new weapon called MG3. The new Royale Pass Month system was also updated for Battlegrounds Mobile India. In addition to the Content Update, the developer Kafton has announced that its Gigafactory will be part of Tesla’s partnership on the Erangel map of the royal game.


Mission Ignition Mode in Battlegrounds Mobile India


The MG3 gun has continuous firepower and a 6x scope. It fires 7.62mm ammo and has a magazine that can hold up to 75 bullets with each reload. Players are also given healing consumables that they can use from the trajectory slot.
The Battlegrounds Mobile India update adds a new Mission Ignition mode to the Erangel map alongside an MG3 gun and healing consumables. The Erangel map contains six new locations. The hyperlines mode also automatically carries transport players from area to area.

Battlegrounds Mobile India
Image source: cdn.dnaindia.com


Updates In Settings And Systems


The Battlegrounds Mobile India version 1.5.0, which was briefly demonstrated in a video released last week, improves gameplay with the addition of a new MG3 light machine gun (LMG). The M249 can be placed on a supply box and obtained by airdrops playing both Classic maps and the Karakin map. The older M249 LMG has been removed from airdrops and is now only available in field drops. The gun will be available for looting directly on the map.

Krafton has updated the settings, allowing players to change the gyroscope sensitivity as well as a dedicated 90fps option for newer devices. Gamers using low-end devices can also select a new graphic option that is less than smooth. The improved settings in Battlegrounds Mobile India now allow you to customize the sensitivity of your guns. In the third-person perspective, you can also adjust your camera angle (TPP).
The update of Battlegrounds Mobile India also includes the free Events section for Sand Bottle Exchange. Players can earn sand bottles and swipe for prizes by doing the challenges. There are also new events that take place such as Damage Missions, Movement Missions, and some new Mission Ignition Events.
There is a new Royale Pass Month system called RPM1 for people who want to use Royale passes. According to Krafton, each Royale Pass Month lasts 30 days and costs 360UC, with the highest rank achievable limited to 50. Adding to this, they have included a Challenge Point System to give rewards to players for their good behavior, and for not firing on friendlies. This particular change is said to have been implemented in response to initial player feedback.


Tesla Gigafactory And Production Of Model Y


Krafton also has a partnership with Tesla, and Battlegrounds Mobile India will now sponsor Tesla’s Gigafactory in four fixed locations across the Erangel map. Players can enter any of the featured Gigafactories and witness the creation of a Tesla Model Y from beginning to end. They will also have the opportunity to drive away in the new car and use its autopilot feature. Furthermore, self-driving Tesla Semi trucks will be available on rural roads and will automatically follow predetermined routes. Players can cause the trucks’ supply boxes to drop and obtain combat supplies by inflicting damage on them.


Clan Clash


Besides the partnership between Tesla and Clan Clash, Krafton has added Clan Clash in a battlefield with Battlefields Mobile India. Download the Battlegrounds Mobile India update from the Google Play store to see all of the latest changes and additions. The update comes only days after 34 million registered users have reached Battlegrounds Mobile India. It is also claimed that the game has 16 million daily active users and 2.4 million peak concurrent users.

trivia

TRIVIA ANNOUNCES THAT IT IS BACK IN THE GAME ONCE AGAIN

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We are experiencing a situation of denial and despair and panic from the beginning of this month. The noble coronavirus outbreak has led to the shutting down of almost every business in the run. While we are spending this time locked up in our home, we are craving for entertainment. Though the situation is getting dangerous with every passing day, the human mind needs some peace as well. Trivia declared that it is back in business given that it announced its shut down a month ago. The shutdown of HQ Trivia took place all of a sudden in February. But, now the online quiz game is back again within a month. So, with an investor whose identity is not yet revealed, Trivia came back from the dead.

Trivia confirms the return

The return of the Trivia quiz was confirmed yesterday evening. After the struggle of one long month, Trivia announced its acquisition by a private investor. But, the name won’t be disclosed anytime soon. Trivia has also confirmed that it is not a one-off event. From now, Trivia will be hosting regular shows and new episodes will come along. But, since the company has just re-opened a day ago, it hasn’t released any schedule yet.

Rus Yusupov, co-founder and the CEO of HQ Trivia confirmed the company’s return with a tweet after the release of the big news. Trivia let their players know about this by releasing a push notification. It said about the online game that went live yesterday night at 9 PM. So, Trivia makes its comeback not only with a press release but it hosted an online day on the same day.

The rise before the fall

HQ Trivia became a big hit as soon as it was released in 2017 for the first time. Within two years it became one of the famous online quiz platforms. Rus Yusupov and Colin Kroll designed this game show and released it for the first time on 26th August 2017. This was available for both iOS and Android smartphones. Scott Rogowsky hosted the online quiz show of HQ Trivia. Matt Richards replaced him in 2019.

Within a couple of years, after this quiz app went viral, HQ Trivia witnessed participants ranging from 100,000 to 125,000. In March 2018, the app marked its highest record of concurrent players and it was 2.38 million. This year the company also saw more than 2 million monthly installs of the game. Eventually, it expanded around the globe with the exception of Russia and India. But, the company turned upside down due to many reasons and finally Rus was forced to shut it down.

Why Trivia was forced to shut down?

The technical crisis hit the companies very early, but the damages weren’t beyond repairable. After a year, HQ Trivia started facing major technical troubles and it was getting pretty hard to say on top. The co-founders tried its best to fight back and take its early position as one of the most popular apps. But, it, unfortunately, didn’t happen. Moreover, the company’s growth strategy backfired when Colin Kroll, former CEO of HQ Trivia, died of a drug overdose.

This had a very big negative impact on the status of the company. Running on loss or not able to stay in the competition is a different matter. But, this news led to losing the company’s reputation as well. Rus went through a pretty tough time and he took over the position of CEO in the company.

Rus tried his best to put Trivia back on track. He launched many new games, introduced a music-themed show, HQ tunes, and a live photo competition, changed some of the game formats, etc. He also brought the idea of a subscription plan to find a new source of revenue. But, all these efforts went in vain when Rus realized nothing brought back the craze for Trivia anymore.

From 2 million monthly downloads, the monthly installs dropped to 67,000 in 2020. This is when Rus let his employees know that the existing investors are not willing to invest anymore. And, they needed to shut down the company immediately.

The strategic return

HQ Trivia made its return just when the noble coronavirus is creating panic within us. So, the online game show hosted yesterday came with a message on the spread of coronavirus. And, the comeback also includes donating $100,000 to World Central Kitchen to feed those in need in this emergency.

Microsoft Xbox Series

Microsoft is Out with the Perfect Xbox Specifications : Here’s a look at Your Dream Console

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On Monday, Microsoft brought out the big guns and came out with the full specification list for its new Xbox Series X, and gamers couldn’t be more excited. The new model boasts of near-perfect specs and is expected to be on every gamer’s Christmas wish list. So, what’s so special about the Series X and why is the gaming fraternity going crazy over it? Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the Microsoft Xbox Series X which promises to bring be a next-gen gaming console.

Mind-Blowing Specifications

  1. The Xbox Series X will run on an AMD Zen 2 RDNA custom processor, which will be four times faster than the processor used in Xbox One.
  2. The new processor also offers 12 teraflops worth of GPU, which is twice that of the Xbox One X.
  3. The 12 teraflops GPU means the Xbox Series X will go far beyond the capabilities of mid-range AMD or Nvidia cards, making it a new gold standard.
  4. The Xbox Series X supports Variable rate shading which allows users to prioritize effects as per their needs and requirements. It also makes it possible to focus individual effects on just one game character or object, and renders that perfectly, without affecting the image quality of the rest of the screen.
  5. Xbox X will also have the DirectX Raytracing feature which will be on show for the first time ever, with this console. This feature will allow the console to create life-like images, realistic acoustics, real-time reflections, and even real-life lighting within the game.
  6. To wring the latency, the new Xbox comes with next-gen storage using SSD which promises faster load times than ever before.
  7. Furthermore, the Quick Resume option will allow players to access several games without delay from their suspended states.
  8. Also, to improve latency the device supports the Dynamic input option which results in minimising latency between Controller and console communication.
  9. The console also fully supports HDMI 2.1, meaning it has options such as Low Latency, Refresh rate variation and even Tearing prevention while gaming.
  10. Xbox Series X can go as high as 120 frames/sec, meaning the games will appear to be more real than ever before.
  11. Furthermore, Microsoft is heavily committed to its earlier games and hence will extend compatibility to Xbox One, 360 and original games with backward compatibility.
  12. The Series X, will, therefore, run all prior games faster, steadier and with better resolution than ever before.
  13. Also, the new Series will support videos in 8K, making it a great investment to have for the future, wherein 8K video support TVs become more popular.

Furthermore, Microsoft has said that further updates and specifications will be released in the coming months, with the Game Developers Conference in March being a key focal point. Also, the E3 convention in June might give Microsoft another opportunity to unveil more specs and features of the Xbox Series X. This convention might give us details regarding pricing, availability and even new launches. One of the most highly anticipated new launches for the Series X will be Halo Infinite. With these specs in place, Microsoft’s dream of creating the world’s most powerful console might just come true with the Xbox Series X.

Microsoft Vs Sony

The one area where Microsoft has a clear edge over Sony is with regards to backward compatibility of games. Whereas the PS4 has made several of the older PS games obsolete, Microsoft continues to make it possible for its users to access and enjoy its older titles. The two key interest areas where Microsoft seems to be the clear winner are computability and also delivery. Smart Delivery is a new feature that has come into play which makes it possible for you to reuse the games on various devices. For instance, if you buy a game for a particular device, Microsoft allows you access to the right game version for various Xbox types. Therefore, once you buy an Xbox, whichever one it may be, Microsoft has your back and will help you enjoy the gaming experience for years to come. This auto-updation of games is a feature loved by games as it allows them to enjoy games across platforms with ease, and unnecessary expense.

Furthermore, recent developments prove that Microsoft is interested in entering the cloud-based gaming industry, and the Xbox Series X might be a step in that direction. Their strategy seems to be to consolidate gaming across various platforms from PC to cloud, with mobile, Xbox and other consoles adding into the picture. However, Sony has stayed quiet with regards to its flagship new model PS5 and has released no announcements regarding the same. This announcement from Microsoft now has made it clear that it is now Sony’s turn to try to outdo the other with their announcement. Sony will, therefore, now be under pressure to release appropriate specs within a specified time interval. The relative quietness from their end indicates that something huge is in the making, and this sure seems to be an exciting time for gamers all around the world.

Ethan Nicholas

Ethan Nicholas : From A Software Engineer to an Overnight Successful Game Developer

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In the programming world, which is already brimming with the tech experts and finest coders, only a few have achieved overnight success. Experience plays a vital role in the journey of a long-term accomplishment, but who knows when one can turn out to be a millionaire while just planning to earn some extra cash. Ethan Nicholas, a senior software engineer currently working at Google, developed a game with the sole purpose of earning some extra cash. But iShoot, the game he developed, turned out to be the biggest achievement of his life and brought him profit he never dreamt of.

Early Life

Nicholas started programming from the tender age of 8 and became a professional coder at the age of 16. He went to North Carolina State University and graduated in 1998. In June 1998, he joined GeoCities as a software engineer, but he shifted to Yahoo! only after a year and worked there as a lead developer. In July 2006, he joined Sun Microsystems and worked as a primary developer on the Java Kernel Project. And, while working for this company the idea of developing a game strike his mind, and he started learning objective C. Nicholas had to learn objective C so that he could start developing the game.

Development of iShoot

Ethan Nicholas
Image Source: wired.com

While he was working as a staff engineer in Sun Microsystems, he spent eight hours every day to develop iShoot. Since he didn’t know objective C and also didn’t have enough cash to afford the documentation he needed to learn it; he mastered it from various internet sources within six weeks followed by writing the code. Programming from an early age of 8, he was able to ace a whole different language very quickly.

Ethan Nicholas, in one of his interviews, mentioned that he was inspired by Steve Demeter, developer of Trism, a game that brought him overnight glory and became a connoisseur in the world of game development. In 19th October 2008, Nicholas launched iShoot, an artillery combat game which was available in Apple’s iPhone app store. The launch of iShoot changed his life dramatically by earning $37,000 in a single day.

He was still working at Sun Microsystems and decided to leave his job to work on the next version of the game. In January 2009, Nicholas left his job and founded the gaming software company, Naughty Bits, under which he launched the second version of the game. By then, he totally made up his mind to devote all his time to iPhone software development.

The Success of iShoot

Though many game and application developers release their apps on the Apple Store, the success of Ethan Nicholas was quite appreciable and unpredictable. Initially, when the app was launched in October the number of users was less than expected and to attract more of them, Nicholas created both paid and free (iShoot Lite) versions of the game. This hiked the selling of the app, and the game became ranked number 1 on the App Store, within a few months of its release.

The game also acquired the top spot on the Top Paid Apps list, witnessing minimum 10,000 downloads per day. The free app was downloaded around 2.4 million times and over 300,000 users bought the paid app. Revenue of $21,000 was confirmed for 10,000 downloads per day, which were partially the driving force for creating the second version of it. By early 2009, Nicholas had already bagged $800,000, which is a more than a decent amount.

He was pretty surprised about the success, the 6-weeks hard work brought to him. So, for the next version, he was ready to blow the minds of the users with better graphics and game strategies exposing more of his programming skills.

Apart From Being a Game Developer

While Nicholas focused on expanding Naughty Bits, he was also involved with other business tycoons to expand his influence on other fields.

In January 2010, he cofounded echoBase and served as the lead server engineer for four years. He developed software that was useful to the medical professionals to track patient’s data. He served as a software engineer at Oracle for eight months.

At present, apart from working at Google, he is developing a swift compiler in Apportable.