Niko News: Tencent Bringing Rocket League to China

Tencent Bringing Rocket League to China

Tencent has announced that they are bringing Psyonix’s Rocket League to China. We have anticipated that it would be a great game for China’s console market due to its emphasis on fun and racing, rather than any bloody violence. The console version also has built-in filters where players can choose from pre-set “quick-chat options” so players can press a button to say things like “Nice one!” or “My bad…” without needing to type, making it a very youth-friendly game.

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Netmarble’s $2.3 Billion IPO

South Korea’s Netmarble has raised $2.3 billion through its IPO, becoming the second biggest IPO for the country. According to Reuters, the company sold 17 million shares – which roughly equates to a 20 percent stake – for 157,000 won ($138) each. Overall, the IPO saw Netmarble valued at 13.3 trillion won ($11.7 billion). Last month, they also announced that the proceeds would be used on $4.4 billion worth of acquistions in game developers and IP holders.

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Thailand Announces New OTT Regulations

Streaming video-on-demand services from over-the-top (OTT) operators in Thailand are going to be regulated by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) soon. The regulator is attempting to control online content after allowing the OTTs to operate freely for years, unlike traditional broadcasting and telecom companies. The panel will consist of 11 members and the first meeting will take place today.

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Ubisoft to Create a New Game Specifically for China’s Audience

Ubisoft has released many games in China, however, they have just announced this week their first effort to create a title specifically for the Chinese market in tandem with Tencent and Playcrab. They’ve selected the Might & Magic IP due to “the market’s love of retro brands” and will be focusing on chat, social features and PvP modes to help the game succeed.

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GamesBeat Summit to delve into China’s role in the global game ecosystem

On May 2nd, Venturebeat will be hosting the GamesBeat Summit at Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, CA. Niko Partners’ Lisa Cosmas Hanson will be moderating a panel on China’s accelerating expansion in the global game ecosystem and the panelists will include Jim Ying, senior advisor at CV Capital; James Zhang, CEO of Concept Art House; and Jazy Zhang, former CFO at Giant Interactive Group.

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