India blocks Battlegrounds Mobile India 2 years after banning PUBG Mobile

The Indian government requested Apple and Google to remove Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) from their app stores on July 28th, one year after it launched in the country. Our research shows that the popular battle royale game, published by South Korean firm Krafton, is no longer available for download. The request comes in the wake of [...]

2022-08-03T12:50:36-07:00August 3rd, 2022|Categories: India, Regulations|Tags: , , , , , , |

Indonesia requires formal registration of tech and game companies

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kominfo) had issued regulation no. 5 of 2020 on Penyelenggara Sistem Elektronik Swasta (PSE) or Private Electronic System Providers. The regulation is imposed to local as well as foreign tech enterprises operating in Indonesia, which include game companies, who are (1) providing services within [...]

2022-07-27T07:21:37-07:00July 27th, 2022|Categories: Indonesia, Regulations, Southeast Asia|

The biggest announcement from Not-E3: Xbox and Riot Games partnership

One of the biggest announcements from Not-E3 2022 was a collaboration between Xbox and Riot Games. The two announced a partnership to bring Riot’s biggest titles to Game Pass on PC and mobile this winter. Xbox Game Pass members will be able to play these free to play titles with additional perks unlocked, such as all [...]

2022-06-24T07:09:02-07:00June 24th, 2022|Categories: Consoles, Riot, Xbox|

China’s NPPA issues licenses for 60 games in June 2022

The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), the regulatory body governing China’s video game licensing, issued 60 licenses (ISBNs) on June 5, 2022 (Published publicly on June 7). This is the second batch of games to be issued a license after a 263-day long freeze on game approvals which ended in April 2022. This batch, as [...]

2022-06-08T09:12:38-07:00June 8th, 2022|Categories: Regulations|

Esports at the 31st SEA Games

On May 23, the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi ended with a spectacular light show. (Source: Bernama)   Vietnam hosted the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in May 2022, the first major in-person sporting event in the region after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the second time Vietnam has hosted the [...]

2022-06-01T09:38:19-07:00June 1st, 2022|Categories: Esports|

NRTA issues notice on game live streaming in China

China’s National Radio and Television Administration issued a notice on April 12, 2022 (Published April 15), called “Strengthening the Management of Game Live Streaming on Online Audio-Visual Platforms”. The notice states that game live streaming platforms, short video platforms and other types of audio-visual platforms are prohibited from broadcasting video games without having obtained a license [...]

2022-04-19T12:44:55-07:00April 19th, 2022|Categories: Regulations|

A bright note from China – game licensing has resumed

The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), the regulatory body governing China’s video game licensing, announced a batch of new licenses, called ISBNs, for 45 domestic games on April 11, 2022. Companies pursuing China’s games market have waited 263 long days since the last batch of ISBNs, which was July 22, 2021. The news of the [...]

2022-04-11T11:39:25-07:00April 11th, 2022|Categories: Regulations|

Peace through Intercultural Understanding: An Interview with Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Founder and President of Niko Partners

Women’s history month celebrates women’s vital role in making history, including in the gaming industry. Historically a male-dominated field, women have impacted the industry as founders, esports athletes, developers, content creators, and analysts. Inclusivity has been growing as a prominent issue in the gaming industry. In this article, we highlight Lisa’s endeavor in leading Niko Partners [...]

2022-03-31T07:48:58-07:00March 30th, 2022|Categories: Uncategorized|

31st SEA Games to include Medal Competitions for 8 Esports Titles

The mascot of the 31st SEA Games is Sao La, which is based on the saola, a rare animal native to central Vietnam listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of Endangered Species and one of the world's rarest animals.  The Southeast Asian Games (commonly known as the SEA Games) is a biennial multi-sport event that involves athletes [...]

2022-03-24T12:20:47-07:00March 24th, 2022|Categories: Esports|

Gaming Never Sleeps: Insights from Insomnia Egypt Gaming Festival 2022

The Insomnia Egypt Gaming Festival 2022, the largest gaming event in the country, took place February 17–19 in Cairo. The Insomnia Gaming Festival originated in the UK and this year marked the 3rd time it was held in Egypt. The festival allows gamers to try out the latest video games, compete in esports tournaments, take [...]

2022-03-17T16:35:16-07:00March 17th, 2022|Categories: Conferences, Egypt, Events|
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