#GravitasPlus with Palki Sharma Upadhyay | From Mario to GTA to Call Of Duty, Video games have come a long way. Today, the gaming market is bigger than the global box office, but how viable is gaming as a career? Is it a 'Last man standing' industry?

Gravitas Plus: The Gaming Industry

Those in their 20s or early 30s today can be safely be said to have been part of the generation who grew up playing video games for hours. Quick advent in tech, smooth graphics and great game development 90s onwards has given everyone a reason to indulge in gaming for hours unashamedly. It didn't matter if parents yelled or the sky fell.

The unparalleled joy of clearing that pesky level or beating that boss was something worth dying for (or not, if you had&nbsp;limited lives left in your game). Professional gamers literally earn millions and this gives everyone a shot at saying that this is not entirely a wasteful activity.

But pigs can play video games too.

This is not a snub to noobs (aka new gamers who.....are not that great in gaming) but a literal thing. A scientific study has found that with a little training, pigs can learn video games.

The research paper published by researchers from Purdue University and Comparitive Cognition Project has to do with these findings.

In the first half, the paper notes that earlier studies had already found that pigs "could solve multiple choice problems".&nbsp;

So what about video games?

Four pigs - Omlette, Hamlet, Ebony and Ivory were trained to play a game that could be played with&nbsp;an arcade-style joystick. The pigs were rewarded with food each time they completed a 'level'. &nbsp;

While the promise of food was&nbsp;a reward enough, it was found during the testing that the&nbsp;pigs started playing the game even when encouragement was just some kind words from the researchers. The food trays broke so reward could no longer be given, but the pigs continued to play the game.

Pigs kept on playing the game!

Researchers have been quoted as saying that it was no small feat that the pigs could link video game play with reward in the first place. The research paper has been published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

The competency level of video game playing pigs was different of course. One pig could play the game much better than other pigs.

The game wasn't exactly anything complex. The pigs were not asked to play Grand Theft Auto or CounterStrike. They just had to move on-screen cursor and make it hit a wall in the game.

But the bottomline? Even pigs can play video games.

Take heart gamers. Unless pigs can compete in professional gaming competitions, your dreams of making it big can still be a reality.

Go play now!

Those in their 20s or early 30s today can be safely be said to have been part of the generation who grew up playing video games for hours. Quick advent in tech, smooth graphics and great game development 90s onwards has given everyone a reason to indulge in gaming for hours unashamedly.

Those in their 20s or early 30s today can be safely be said to have been part of the generation who grew up playing video games for hours. Quick advent in tech, smooth graphics and great game development 90s onwards has given everyone a reason to indulge in gaming for hours unashamedly. It didn't matter if parents yelled or the sky fell. The unparalleled joy of clearing that pesky level or beating that boss was something worth dying for (or not, if you had limited lives left in your game). Professional gamers literally earn millions and this gives everyone a shot at saying that this is not entirely a wasteful activity. But pigs can play video games too. This is not a snub to noobs (aka new gamers who.....are not that great in gaming) but a literal thing. A scientific study has found that with a little training, pigs can learn video games. The research paper published by researchers from Purdue University and Comparitive Cognition Project has to do with these findings. In the first half, the paper notes that earlier studies had already found that pigs "could solve multiple choice problems". So what about video games? Four pigs - Omlette, Hamlet, Ebony and Ivory were trained to play a game that could be played with an arcade-style joystick. The pigs were rewarded with food each time they completed a 'level'. While the promise of food was a reward enough, it was found during the testing that the pigs started playing the game even when encouragement was just some kind words from the researchers. The food trays broke so reward could no longer be given, but the pigs continued to play the game. Pigs kept on playing the game! Researchers have been quoted as saying that it was no small feat that the pigs could link video game play with reward in the first place. The research paper has been published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. The competency level of video game playing pigs was different of course. One pig could play the game much better than other pigs. The game wasn't exactly anything complex. The pigs were not asked to play Grand Theft Auto or CounterStrike. They just had to move on-screen cursor and make it hit a wall in the game. But the bottomline? Even pigs can play video games. Take heart gamers. Unless pigs can compete in professional gaming competitions, your dreams of making it big can still be a reality. Go play now!

Gamers listen up! Even pigs can play video games, study has found

PUBG Mobile India launch can be one of the most awaited gaming events in the country in recent times. After PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) was banned in India earlier this year, the fans are eagerly waiting for the Indianised version of the game. South Korean company Krafton Inc, the parent company of PUBG has severed ties with Chinese firm Tencent Games for India. The teasers of PUBG Mobile India have been out already but now there are reports that say that a trailer will be out soon. PUBG Mobile India pre-registration is already underway.

As per report by InsideSport, PUBG Mobile India trailer may drop soon. Is it going to be released today? That is something to think about.

As per reports, pre-registration for PUBG Mobile India is already going on for select Android and iOS users on Tap Tap game sharing community. The listing says that the game will be available in English as well as in Hindi.

However, there is still confusion as to whether this the official way of registering for the new game. There has not been any formal announcement from PUBG about pre-registration.

PUBG to hire people in India

PUBG reportedly is in the process of setting up an Indian subsidiary for its presence in India. It will hire 100 people from gaming, business and game development background.

PUBG Mobile India is being designed with Indian sensibilities and preferences in mind. Krafton Inc has tied up with Microsoft Azure to address the issues of data security of Indian users. PUBG has not announced launch date in India officially.

PUBG Mobile India launch can be one of the most awaited gaming events in the country in recent times. After PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) was banned in India earlier this year, the fans are eagerly waiting for the Indianised version of the game.

PUBG Mobile India launch can be one of the most awaited gaming events in the country in recent times. After PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) was banned in India earlier this year, the fans are eagerly waiting for the Indianised version of the game. South Korean company Krafton Inc, the parent company of PUBG has severed ties with Chinese firm Tencent Games for India. The teasers of PUBG Mobile India have been out already but now there are reports that say that a trailer will be out soon. PUBG Mobile India pre-registration is already underway. As per report by InsideSport, PUBG Mobile India trailer may drop soon. Is it going to be released today? That is something to think about. As per reports, pre-registration for PUBG Mobile India is already going on for select Android and iOS users on Tap Tap game sharing community. The listing says that the game will be available in English as well as in Hindi. However, there is still confusion as to whether this the official way of registering for the new game. There has not been any formal announcement from PUBG about pre-registration. PUBG to hire people in India PUBG reportedly is in the process of setting up an Indian subsidiary for its presence in India. It will hire 100 people from gaming, business and game development background. PUBG Mobile India is being designed with Indian sensibilities and preferences in mind. Krafton Inc has tied up with Microsoft Azure to address the issues of data security of Indian users. PUBG has not announced launch date in India officially.

PUBG Mobile India launch day nears, trailer ready, but how to pre-register?

On Monday, Facebook Inc launched a cloud gaming feature on its Facebook platform. The free service allows users to play and stream games without downloading them.

The catalogue includes racing behemoth Asphalt: 9 Legends, and WWE SuperCard. The best part? You don't need to download the games to play them!

''We recently had 200,000 people playing our cloud-streamed games per week in limited regions, so while it’s not exactly a secret, I’m excited to lay out what we’re building'', the company announced in its blog post.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/imran-khan-writes-to-facebook-ceo-seeking-ban-on-islamophobic-content-338010" hreflang="en">Imran Khan writes to Facebook CEO seeking ban on islamophobic content&nbsp;</a>

"We're not spinning off a separate cloud gaming service," the company announced in a blog post.

All cloud-based games can now be played on Facebook's gaming tab, or its news feed.

The new feature, however, is a small-scale addition, and does not look like it will be competing directly with Google's Stadia, Nvidia's GeForce NOW, or Amazon's Luna, that are looking to penetrate the high-end gaming market.

''No special hardware or controllers needed – your hands are the controllers since we’re launching with native mobile games. And you can play these games with a mouse and keyboard on desktop'', the blog post said.

Available to Android and web users, the feature will soon be available on iOS as well.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebooks-zuckerberg-twitters-dorsey-to-testify-before-us-senate-panel-after-us-election-337677" hreflang="en">Facebook's Zuckerberg, Twitter's Dorsey to testify before US Senate panel after US election</a>

"Apple treats games differently and continues to exert control over a very precious resource," the company said. Facebook also added that it is unsure about launching the games on Apple's App Store, claiming it may not be the most "viable'' path.

''More than 380 million people play games each month on Facebook, and people will play cloud-streamed games right alongside those playing instant games in HTML5. And if we do our jobs right, you won’t notice how the games are delivered", the blog post added.

On Monday, Facebook Inc launched a cloud gaming feature on its Facebook platform. The free service allows users to play and stream games without downloading them.

On Monday, Facebook Inc launched a cloud gaming feature on its Facebook platform. The free service allows users to play and stream games without downloading them. The catalogue includes racing behemoth Asphalt: 9 Legends, and WWE SuperCard. The best part? You don't need to download the games to play them! ''We recently had 200,000 people playing our cloud-streamed games per week in limited regions, so while it’s not exactly a secret, I’m excited to lay out what we’re building'', the company announced in its blog post. Also read: Imran Khan writes to Facebook CEO seeking ban on islamophobic content "We're not spinning off a separate cloud gaming service," the company announced in a blog post. All cloud-based games can now be played on Facebook's gaming tab, or its news feed. The new feature, however, is a small-scale addition, and does not look like it will be competing directly with Google's Stadia, Nvidia's GeForce NOW, or Amazon's Luna, that are looking to penetrate the high-end gaming market. ''No special hardware or controllers needed – your hands are the controllers since we’re launching with native mobile games. And you can play these games with a mouse and keyboard on desktop'', the blog post said. Available to Android and web users, the feature will soon be available on iOS as well. Also read: Facebook's Zuckerberg, Twitter's Dorsey to testify before US Senate panel after US election "Apple treats games differently and continues to exert control over a very precious resource," the company said. Facebook also added that it is unsure about launching the games on Apple's App Store, claiming it may not be the most "viable'' path. ''More than 380 million people play games each month on Facebook, and people will play cloud-streamed games right alongside those playing instant games in HTML5. And if we do our jobs right, you won’t notice how the games are delivered", the blog post added.

Now you can play cloud-based games on Facebook!

To keep kids at bay from digital content which could addiction among youngsters, China is now enforcing strict measures.&nbsp;

According to Xinhua, a China-backed news agency, China will revamp a law to effectively ban internet products, and services that are capable of inducing addiction among kids.

Additionally, social networks are required to set and follow time and consumption limits. This includes game content, and livestream services, according to Reuters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-imprisons-several-men-for-confining-children-in-internet-de-addiction-centres-311764" hreflang="en">China imprisons several men for confining children in internet de-addiction centres</a>

As part of China’s move to reform internet consumption, people can now raise complaints with internet providers to set in motion “necessary measures” in case of cyberbullying. People can now also ask internet providers to block and/or delete certain content.

The law will take effect next year starting June 1.

This is not the first time China has attempted to limit internet usage, especially in terms of gaming. Due to their efforts, companies like Tencent have started reforming their own mechanisms.

What does a ban mean?

Internet content creators on websites and portals will be required to put measures in place, to avoid production of “addictive” content.

Even though the law will only formally be enforced in China, this could impact the games and services made directly in China.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/business-economy/smartphone-addiction-digital-dependency-could-doom-the-youth-265243" hreflang="en">Smartphone addiction: Digital dependency could doom the youth</a>

The revised laws were&nbsp;voted for adoption by the National People's Congress Standing Committee on October 17, Saturday. The laws&nbsp;state that internet product and service providers "shall not offer minors products and services that induce&nbsp;addiction", as reported by Xinhua&nbsp;

Companies will be required to provide "corresponding functions" to limit consumption for minors.

Additionally, as per the new law, schools will now be required to report harassment and sexual assault of minors to the authorities.

To keep kids at bay from digital content which could addiction among youngsters, China is now enforcing strict measures. According to Xinhua, a China-backed news agency, China will revamp a law to effectively ban internet products, and services that are capable of inducing addiction among kids.

To keep kids at bay from digital content which could addiction among youngsters, China is now enforcing strict measures. According to Xinhua, a China-backed news agency, China will revamp a law to effectively ban internet products, and services that are capable of inducing addiction among kids. Additionally, social networks are required to set and follow time and consumption limits. This includes game content, and livestream services, according to Reuters. Also read: China imprisons several men for confining children in internet de-addiction centres As part of China’s move to reform internet consumption, people can now raise complaints with internet providers to set in motion “necessary measures” in case of cyberbullying. People can now also ask internet providers to block and/or delete certain content. The law will take effect next year starting June 1. This is not the first time China has attempted to limit internet usage, especially in terms of gaming. Due to their efforts, companies like Tencent have started reforming their own mechanisms. What does a ban mean? Internet content creators on websites and portals will be required to put measures in place, to avoid production of “addictive” content. Even though the law will only formally be enforced in China, this could impact the games and services made directly in China. Also read: Smartphone addiction: Digital dependency could doom the youth The revised laws were voted for adoption by the National People's Congress Standing Committee on October 17, Saturday. The laws state that internet product and service providers "shall not offer minors products and services that induce addiction", as reported by Xinhua Companies will be required to provide "corresponding functions" to limit consumption for minors. Additionally, as per the new law, schools will now be required to report harassment and sexual assault of minors to the authorities.

China's new law bans content deemed 'addictive' for kids

Igniting a 'gaming-world' war, Apple has decided to block three games of three tech-giants — Microsoft, Facebook and Google — from its App Store.

The list contains&nbsp;Microsoft's Game Pass, Google's Stadia and Facebook's gaming app.

The decision was taken by Apple as the company claims that the three tech-giants did not submit the games individually for review. Apple claimed that their company does not allow apps to feature on their store without a review, and since the companies did not submit individual games for review, Apple decided to block the games that could enable access to these non-reviewed games.

The company issued a statement explaining the reason behind the decision of blocking these games. "Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely&nbsp;launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set&nbsp;of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search.&nbsp;In addition to the App Store, developers can choose to reach&nbsp;all iPhone and iPad users over the web through Safari and other browsers&nbsp;on the App Store."

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg reacted to the news by saying, “Unfortunately, we had to remove gameplay functionality entirely in order to get Apple’s approval on the stand-alone Facebook Gaming app.”

In a Twitter thread, Facebook Gaming announced the launch of&nbsp;standalone Facebook Gaming app. "But for FB game developers and players...we have some bad news. After months of submissions and repeated rejections by Apple, we’ve had to remove instant games entirely from the standalone app," Facebook Gaming tweeted.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🍏🎮🧵 
 
1/ Well, we have some good news. We’re launching the standalone Facebook Gaming app today on iOS! Download today 👉 <a href="https://t.co/MhNbh3nOwA">https://t.co/MhNbh3nOwA</a> 
 
We know many creators and fans have been waiting a long time for it, so thanks for sitting tight.
— Facebook Gaming (@FacebookGaming) <a href="https://twitter.com/FacebookGaming/status/1291708615015858176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Microsoft, too, issued a statement that read, "Apple stands alone as the only general purpose platform to deny consumers from cloud gaming and game subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. And it consistently treats gaming apps differently, applying more lenient rules to non-gaming apps even when they include interactive content."

Igniting a 'gaming-world' war, Apple has decided to block three games of three tech-giants — Microsoft, Facebook and Google — from its App Store. The list contains Microsoft's Game Pass, Google's Stadia and Facebook's gaming app.

Igniting a 'gaming-world' war, Apple has decided to block three games of three tech-giants — Microsoft, Facebook and Google — from its App Store. The list contains Microsoft's Game Pass, Google's Stadia and Facebook's gaming app. The decision was taken by Apple as the company claims that the three tech-giants did not submit the games individually for review. Apple claimed that their company does not allow apps to feature on their store without a review, and since the companies did not submit individual games for review, Apple decided to block the games that could enable access to these non-reviewed games. The company issued a statement explaining the reason behind the decision of blocking these games. "Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search. In addition to the App Store, developers can choose to reach all iPhone and iPad users over the web through Safari and other browsers on the App Store." Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg reacted to the news by saying, “Unfortunately, we had to remove gameplay functionality entirely in order to get Apple’s approval on the stand-alone Facebook Gaming app.” In a Twitter thread, Facebook Gaming announced the launch of standalone Facebook Gaming app. "But for FB game developers and players...we have some bad news. After months of submissions and repeated rejections by Apple, we’ve had to remove instant games entirely from the standalone app," Facebook Gaming tweeted. 🍏🎮🧵 1/ Well, we have some good news. We’re launching the standalone Facebook Gaming app today on iOS! Download today 👉 https://t.co/MhNbh3nOwA We know many creators and fans have been waiting a long time for it, so thanks for sitting tight. — Facebook Gaming (@FacebookGaming) August 7, 2020 × Microsoft, too, issued a statement that read, "Apple stands alone as the only general purpose platform to deny consumers from cloud gaming and game subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. And it consistently treats gaming apps differently, applying more lenient rules to non-gaming apps even when they include interactive content."

Apple blocks games from Microsoft, Google, and Facebook; fight gets Twitter-official

Turns out, shooting people’s heads off in the virtual amount does not imply you will run off shooting in the streets. This revelation, which runs contrary to all previous research about gaming linking&nbsp;long-term exposure to increased violence and thoughts of violence, is based on a reanalysis of data from over 21,000 young gamers on the planet.

Fronted by Aaron Drummond from Massey University in New Zealand, the research claims playing video games is not a contributing factor to one’s aggression and/or&nbsp;violent tendencies. To reach this conclusion, Drummond reanalysed 28 meta-analytical studies that linked violence to gaming.

"Small effect"

His pursuit revealed that only a very small number of people exhibited aggression after gaming, and this positive correlation was too negligible to be taken as the primary signifier of game induced violence. The researchers claimed that it is such a small number, that it does not qualify to even producing a “small effect”.

Published in the Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/opinions-blogs/how-coronavirus-outbreak-is-impacting-the-gaming-industry-289481" hreflang="en">How coronavirus outbreak is impacting the gaming industry</a>

The report said that the “current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression”.

The studies that were analysed by the study head went as back as 2008 showed a small positive correlation between violence and video-games. Over a quarter of the gamers were said to have been susceptible to real-life aggression. There was no concrete conclusion linking violence to gamers in any of these studies. In fact, a study from 2011 showed a negative correlation between aggression and gaming.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/world-health-organisation-officially-recognises-gaming-addiction-as-mental-disorder-221949" hreflang="en">World Health Organisation officially recognises gaming addiction as 'mental disorder'</a>

Accumulation of micro violence?

The most common argument against violent gaming is that an accumulation of micro-violence is one major negative effect of gaming. Over a long-time, this may change one’s temperament, making one susceptible to aggression. However, the study showed no evidence of such accumulation, but in fact paints a totally opposite picture.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/tambola-online-antakshari-community-gaming-on-the-rise-in-times-of-social-distancing-288528" hreflang="en">Tambola, online antakshari: Community gaming on the rise in times of social distancing</a>

The report mentions that “long-term impacts of violent games on youth aggression are near zero”.

Most scientific scholars and groups have based their violence-linked studies to negligible relationship observed between gamers and aggression.

Many studies have also attempted to map emotional behaviour linked to gaming. A research from 2018 done by the University of New South Wales found that gamers used to violence were able to ignore depictions of violence in other contexts.

Turns out, shooting people’s heads off in the virtual amount does not imply you will run off shooting in the streets. This revelation, which runs contrary to all previous research about gaming linking long-term exposure to increased violence and thoughts of violence, is based on a reanalysis of data from over 21,000 young gamers on the planet.

Turns out, shooting people’s heads off in the virtual amount does not imply you will run off shooting in the streets. This revelation, which runs contrary to all previous research about gaming linking long-term exposure to increased violence and thoughts of violence, is based on a reanalysis of data from over 21,000 young gamers on the planet. Fronted by Aaron Drummond from Massey University in New Zealand, the research claims playing video games is not a contributing factor to one’s aggression and/or violent tendencies. To reach this conclusion, Drummond reanalysed 28 meta-analytical studies that linked violence to gaming. "Small effect" His pursuit revealed that only a very small number of people exhibited aggression after gaming, and this positive correlation was too negligible to be taken as the primary signifier of game induced violence. The researchers claimed that it is such a small number, that it does not qualify to even producing a “small effect”. Published in the Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday. Also read: How coronavirus outbreak is impacting the gaming industry The report said that the “current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression”. The studies that were analysed by the study head went as back as 2008 showed a small positive correlation between violence and video-games. Over a quarter of the gamers were said to have been susceptible to real-life aggression. There was no concrete conclusion linking violence to gamers in any of these studies. In fact, a study from 2011 showed a negative correlation between aggression and gaming. Also read: World Health Organisation officially recognises gaming addiction as 'mental disorder' Accumulation of micro violence? The most common argument against violent gaming is that an accumulation of micro-violence is one major negative effect of gaming. Over a long-time, this may change one’s temperament, making one susceptible to aggression. However, the study showed no evidence of such accumulation, but in fact paints a totally opposite picture. Also read: Tambola, online antakshari: Community gaming on the rise in times of social distancing The report mentions that “long-term impacts of violent games on youth aggression are near zero”. Most scientific scholars and groups have based their violence-linked studies to negligible relationship observed between gamers and aggression. Many studies have also attempted to map emotional behaviour linked to gaming. A research from 2018 done by the University of New South Wales found that gamers used to violence were able to ignore depictions of violence in other contexts.

Gaming does not make you more aggressive, after all!

China has imposed a curfew to limit the time spent by children playing games online, in the latest part of a government crackdown on youth gaming addiction.

The regulations will mean those under 18 cannot play games online between 10pm and 8am, and for only ninety minutes at a time during the daytime.

In addition, the guidelines will reduce the amount of money minors can spend online playing games to 200 RMB ($28) per month, rising to 400 RMB for those between 16 and 18 years old.

The new rules will also require all gamers to use a real-name registration and details such a WeChat account, phone number or ID number to sign up.

In the statement published Tuesday, the government also calls for games producers to "modify the game content, functions or rules" to avoid causing addiction in young players.

China is the world's biggest video game market, but the government has been tightening up on the industry amid concerns about health, worsening near-sightedness in children and online addiction.

A hashtag about the new rules was one of the most discussed on China's social media platform Weibo on Thursday with 210 million views.

"This statement just means that teenagers can't play the games, because for most teenagers in China, they need to go to school from 6.30am and end at 10pm," one user complained.

"It's a bit of a one-size-fits-all thing," wrote another, saying a graded rating system of games made more sense.

Another claimed that it was easy to obtain fake ID numbers online and that gamers would just use these to create their accounts.

Last year Beijing announced new controls on the number of games that can be played online, limited new releases, and imposed rules on underage players to reduce their screen time.

Chinese giant Tencent -- the planet's biggest game company -- announced in March it was implementing new curbs on underage video-game playing.

The gaming group had already has launched a real-name identification system for "Honour of Kings" to enforce playtime restrictions on youths. 
&nbsp;

China has imposed a curfew to limit the time spent by children playing games online, in the latest part of a government crackdown on youth gaming addiction. The regulations will mean those under 18 cannot play games online between 10pm and 8am, and for only ninety minutes at a time during the daytime.

China has imposed a curfew to limit the time spent by children playing games online, in the latest part of a government crackdown on youth gaming addiction. The regulations will mean those under 18 cannot play games online between 10pm and 8am, and for only ninety minutes at a time during the daytime. In addition, the guidelines will reduce the amount of money minors can spend online playing games to 200 RMB ($28) per month, rising to 400 RMB for those between 16 and 18 years old. The new rules will also require all gamers to use a real-name registration and details such a WeChat account, phone number or ID number to sign up. In the statement published Tuesday, the government also calls for games producers to "modify the game content, functions or rules" to avoid causing addiction in young players. China is the world's biggest video game market, but the government has been tightening up on the industry amid concerns about health, worsening near-sightedness in children and online addiction. A hashtag about the new rules was one of the most discussed on China's social media platform Weibo on Thursday with 210 million views. "This statement just means that teenagers can't play the games, because for most teenagers in China, they need to go to school from 6.30am and end at 10pm," one user complained. "It's a bit of a one-size-fits-all thing," wrote another, saying a graded rating system of games made more sense. Another claimed that it was easy to obtain fake ID numbers online and that gamers would just use these to create their accounts. Last year Beijing announced new controls on the number of games that can be played online, limited new releases, and imposed rules on underage players to reduce their screen time. Chinese giant Tencent -- the planet's biggest game company -- announced in March it was implementing new curbs on underage video-game playing. The gaming group had already has launched a real-name identification system for "Honour of Kings" to enforce playtime restrictions on youths.

China imposes curfew on minors in gaming crackdown

Nintendo Co Ltd's&nbsp;second-quarter operating profit more than doubled, blowing past analyst estimates, on strong demand for its Switch console.

Nintendo sold 4.98 million units of its hybrid home-portable Switch device in the six months to September and 1.95 million handheld-only Switch Lite units that went on sale in September.

It would be "premature" to raise Nintendo's full-year hardware sales forecast for Switch from 18 million units, CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told reporters in Osaka.

The Switch Lite launch is part of the Kyoto-based firm's drive to expand the device's appeal beyond hardcore gamers, with the arrival of two Pokemon titles next month expected to drive demand for the low-cost version of the device.

Nintendo, which drew in millions of casual players with its Wii Fit game and balance board gadget 12 years ago, faces ever more competition from smartphone apps to video streaming.

This month, Nintendo launched Ring Fit Adventure, a title which, using the Switch's sensor-packed controllers and the bundled springy plastic Ring-Con, allows players to explore a fantasy world through actions like jogging and jumping.

Nintendo brought one of its marquee franchises, Mario Kart, to mobile in September, with the title downloaded over 120 million times in its first month, outstripping other mobile releases from the gaming company over a comparable period.

With revenue at $0.26 per player for the Mario Kart title, according to data from Sensor Tower, far behind Dragalia Lost's $16.50 per player, Nintendo is yet to demonstrate the saturated mobile market can become a substantial revenue driver.

Furukawa declined to say when the game's multiplayer option, which is currently greyed-out in-game and has been a focus for player complaints, would be activated.

Nintendo's operating profit for the July-September quarter was 66.8 billion yen ($615 million) versus 30.9 billion yen a year earlier. That was well above an average forecast of 50 billion yen from 10 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.

The company's shares closed up 0.3 per cent&nbsp;on Thursday ahead of earnings. The stock has risen 32 per cent&nbsp;this year although that upwards trajectory has stalled in recent months.

Nintendo has struggled to replicate the runaway success of mobile title Pokemon Go, developed by San Francisco-based Niantic, which has, three years after it launched, generated more than $3 billion in revenues, according to Sensor Tower.

The commercialization of Pokemon, which spans games, toys, and TV, contrasts with Nintendo's often conservative use of characters like Mario.

However, the gaming company is taking inspiration from the string of Pokemon Center retail stores with the launch of a Nintendo-themed store in Tokyo's Shibuya district next month.

Nintendo Co Ltd's second-quarter operating profit more than doubled, blowing past analyst estimates, on strong demand for its Switch console. Nintendo sold 4.98 million units of its hybrid home-portable Switch device in the six months to September and 1.

Nintendo Co Ltd's second-quarter operating profit more than doubled, blowing past analyst estimates, on strong demand for its Switch console. Nintendo sold 4.98 million units of its hybrid home-portable Switch device in the six months to September and 1.95 million handheld-only Switch Lite units that went on sale in September. It would be "premature" to raise Nintendo's full-year hardware sales forecast for Switch from 18 million units, CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told reporters in Osaka. The Switch Lite launch is part of the Kyoto-based firm's drive to expand the device's appeal beyond hardcore gamers, with the arrival of two Pokemon titles next month expected to drive demand for the low-cost version of the device. Nintendo, which drew in millions of casual players with its Wii Fit game and balance board gadget 12 years ago, faces ever more competition from smartphone apps to video streaming. This month, Nintendo launched Ring Fit Adventure, a title which, using the Switch's sensor-packed controllers and the bundled springy plastic Ring-Con, allows players to explore a fantasy world through actions like jogging and jumping. Nintendo brought one of its marquee franchises, Mario Kart, to mobile in September, with the title downloaded over 120 million times in its first month, outstripping other mobile releases from the gaming company over a comparable period. With revenue at $0.26 per player for the Mario Kart title, according to data from Sensor Tower, far behind Dragalia Lost's $16.50 per player, Nintendo is yet to demonstrate the saturated mobile market can become a substantial revenue driver. Furukawa declined to say when the game's multiplayer option, which is currently greyed-out in-game and has been a focus for player complaints, would be activated. Nintendo's operating profit for the July-September quarter was 66.8 billion yen ($615 million) versus 30.9 billion yen a year earlier. That was well above an average forecast of 50 billion yen from 10 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv. The company's shares closed up 0.3 per cent on Thursday ahead of earnings. The stock has risen 32 per cent this year although that upwards trajectory has stalled in recent months. Nintendo has struggled to replicate the runaway success of mobile title Pokemon Go, developed by San Francisco-based Niantic, which has, three years after it launched, generated more than $3 billion in revenues, according to Sensor Tower. The commercialization of Pokemon, which spans games, toys, and TV, contrasts with Nintendo's often conservative use of characters like Mario. However, the gaming company is taking inspiration from the string of Pokemon Center retail stores with the launch of a Nintendo-themed store in Tokyo's Shibuya district next month.

Nintendo's second-quarter profit doubles as Switch Lite delivers boost

'Homeland Dream': How Chinese gaming giants unveil titles to play up patriotic value

Google is reported to be developing a subscription-based game streaming service.&nbsp;

The service is likely to be compatible with its Chromecast or a Google-made console.

Alphabet Inc. announced on Wednesday its plan of developing a new service codenamed &#39;Yeti&#39;.

&#39;Yeti&#39; would put Google at the forefront of the video game market that enables the users to play while the games are being streamed. The new service aims at rendering the need for downloading games or using the disks versions unnecessary.

The service will make use of Google&#39;s cloud servers to broadcast the games to users over the internet.

According to reports, Google has already discussed &#39;Yeti&#39; with game developers. It is not clear if the developers will create a game especially for &#39;Yeti&#39;&nbsp;or make existing streamed games available.

The service is likely to be compatible with its Chromecast or a Google-made console

Google is reported to be developing a subscription-based game streaming service. The service is likely to be compatible with its Chromecast or a Google-made console. Alphabet Inc. announced on Wednesday its plan of developing a new service codenamed 'Yeti'. 'Yeti' would put Google at the forefront of the video game market that enables the users to play while the games are being streamed. The new service aims at rendering the need for downloading games or using the disks versions unnecessary. The service will make use of Google's cloud servers to broadcast the games to users over the internet. According to reports, Google has already discussed 'Yeti' with game developers. It is not clear if the developers will create a game especially for 'Yeti' or make existing streamed games available.

Google to break into gaming market with 'Yeti' streaming service

Next year onwards, playing video game excessively might lead to a diagnosis of a mental health disorder according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).&nbsp;

In the beta draft of its forthcoming 11th International Classification of Diseases, the WHO includes &#39;gaming disorder&#39;&nbsp;in its list of mental health conditions.

The WHO defines this disorder as a &quot;persistent or recurrent&quot; behaviour pattern of &quot;sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.&quot;

While defining the disorder, the WHO also mentions that it is characterised by &quot;impaired control&quot; with increasing priority given to gaming and &quot;escalation,&quot; despite &quot;negative consequences.&quot;

According to the beta draft guidance, video game playing, either offline or online, must&nbsp;be &quot;normally evident over a period of at least 12 months&quot; for this diagnosis to be made.

However, if symptoms are severe and all requirements are met, health care professionals may include people who have been playing for shorter periods of time, the draft reads.

Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the WHO, said in a statement, &quot;The new ICD-11 entry on gaming disorder &#39;includes only a clinical description and not prevention and treatment options&#39;.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 
Hartl described the ICD as the &quot;basis for identification of health trends and statistics globally and the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. It is used by medical practitioners around the world to diagnose conditions and by researchers to categorize conditions.&quot;

This list is intended to make it easier for scientists to share and compare health information between hospitals, regions and countries. It also enables healthcare workers to compare data in the same location over different time periods. Additionally, public health experts use the ICD to track the number of deaths and diseases.

The existing version of the ICD was endorsed by the World Health Assembly which is the decision-making body of WHO, in May 1990. In the current state, it&#39;s used&nbsp;by more than 100 countries around the world.

The forthcoming version of the ICD will be published in May 2018. 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the beta draft of its forthcoming 11th International Classification of Diseases, the WHO included 'gaming disorder' in its list of mental health conditions

Next year onwards, playing video game excessively might lead to a diagnosis of a mental health disorder according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the beta draft of its forthcoming 11th International Classification of Diseases, the WHO includes 'gaming disorder' in its list of mental health conditions. The WHO defines this disorder as a "persistent or recurrent" behaviour pattern of "sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning." While defining the disorder, the WHO also mentions that it is characterised by "impaired control" with increasing priority given to gaming and "escalation," despite "negative consequences." According to the beta draft guidance, video game playing, either offline or online, must be "normally evident over a period of at least 12 months" for this diagnosis to be made. However, if symptoms are severe and all requirements are met, health care professionals may include people who have been playing for shorter periods of time, the draft reads. Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the WHO, said in a statement, "The new ICD-11 entry on gaming disorder 'includes only a clinical description and not prevention and treatment options'. Hartl described the ICD as the "basis for identification of health trends and statistics globally and the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. It is used by medical practitioners around the world to diagnose conditions and by researchers to categorize conditions." This list is intended to make it easier for scientists to share and compare health information between hospitals, regions and countries. It also enables healthcare workers to compare data in the same location over different time periods. Additionally, public health experts use the ICD to track the number of deaths and diseases. The existing version of the ICD was endorsed by the World Health Assembly which is the decision-making body of WHO, in May 1990. In the current state, it's used by more than 100 countries around the world. The forthcoming version of the ICD will be published in May 2018.

WHO to recognise gaming disorder as mental health condition in 2018: Report

Hong Kong&#39;s 2014 pro-democracy &quot;Umbrella Revolution&quot; was re-imagined as a zombie apocalypse by gamemakers who transformed politicians and protesters into the walking dead using virtual reality (VR) technology at a comic and games expo on Friday. 
 
Teenagers and video game enthusiasts packed the Ani-Com show at the city&#39;s harbourfront convention centre and queued for &quot;Hong Kong Infected&quot;, where they shot down protesters and police officers who had been afflicted by an unknown contagion. 
 
In late 2014, tens of thousands took part in a mass pro-democracy rally, dubbed the &quot;Umbrella Revolution&quot; which paralysed the city for more than two months, with residents calling on Beijing to allow fully free elections of future leaders. 
 
The rally exploded on September 28 of that year when police fired tear gas to disperse crowds.But in the virtual reality parallel universe, they were turned into zombies. 
 
&quot;(In the game) there is a mysterious gas released at that time when protesters are being dispersed,&quot; Elphonso Lam, art director for production house YYY Industry which created the game, told AFP. 
 
&quot;You can imagine how scary it would be as the protesters, police and even lawmakers turn into zombies,&quot; Lam said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We wanted to make a record of what Hong Kongers have experienced, so we used this topic,&quot; he said, adding that very few local productions would be willing to touch upon such a sensitive issue.&nbsp;The game was designed for the virtual reality platform and players got their first look at the show. 
 
Players also have to gun down &quot;the boss&quot;, an enlarged, zombified version of a pro-Beijing lawmaker, in a three-dimensional re-creation of the area near the government headquarters where the protests were held. 
 
The game is expected to be released next year along with a feature-length film and a comic series on the same storyline. 
 
Player Flan Lau, 24, who along with other players wore an Oculus VR headset and held up a mock gun to play the demo, said the experience was better than traditional video games. 
 
&quot;If you are unable to experience a three-dimensional environment... there is a difference,&quot; the subway technician told AFP. 
 
Sony also displayed their newest VR kit, which will launch in October with their PS4 gaming console, to the exhibition. 
 
&quot;Everybody is talking about VR...I believe this trend will totally change the gaming industry,&quot; Sony Marketing Communication for Hong Kong assistant general manager Jacqueline Chiu said. 
 
Players donning VR headsets at Sony`s Playstation booth beat up baddies as Batman in &quot;Batman: Arkham VR&quot;, while others carried out robberies in &quot;The London Heist&quot;. 
 
The Ani-Com show is one of the biggest of its kind in Asia, where teenagers and video game lovers go to buy limited editions of toy figures and wear costumes mimicking their favourite comic book heroes. 
 
(AFP)

A virtual reality game, featuring in this year's Ani-Com, intends to show what Hong Kong went through during the 2014 protests

Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella Revolution" was re-imagined as a zombie apocalypse by gamemakers who transformed politicians and protesters into the walking dead using virtual reality (VR) technology at a comic and games expo on Friday. Teenagers and video game enthusiasts packed the Ani-Com show at the city's harbourfront convention centre and queued for "Hong Kong Infected", where they shot down protesters and police officers who had been afflicted by an unknown contagion. In late 2014, tens of thousands took part in a mass pro-democracy rally, dubbed the "Umbrella Revolution" which paralysed the city for more than two months, with residents calling on Beijing to allow fully free elections of future leaders. The rally exploded on September 28 of that year when police fired tear gas to disperse crowds.But in the virtual reality parallel universe, they were turned into zombies. "(In the game) there is a mysterious gas released at that time when protesters are being dispersed," Elphonso Lam, art director for production house YYY Industry which created the game, told AFP. "You can imagine how scary it would be as the protesters, police and even lawmakers turn into zombies," Lam said. "We wanted to make a record of what Hong Kongers have experienced, so we used this topic," he said, adding that very few local productions would be willing to touch upon such a sensitive issue. The game was designed for the virtual reality platform and players got their first look at the show. Players also have to gun down "the boss", an enlarged, zombified version of a pro-Beijing lawmaker, in a three-dimensional re-creation of the area near the government headquarters where the protests were held. The game is expected to be released next year along with a feature-length film and a comic series on the same storyline. Player Flan Lau, 24, who along with other players wore an Oculus VR headset and held up a mock gun to play the demo, said the experience was better than traditional video games. "If you are unable to experience a three-dimensional environment... there is a difference," the subway technician told AFP. Sony also displayed their newest VR kit, which will launch in October with their PS4 gaming console, to the exhibition. "Everybody is talking about VR...I believe this trend will totally change the gaming industry," Sony Marketing Communication for Hong Kong assistant general manager Jacqueline Chiu said. Players donning VR headsets at Sony`s Playstation booth beat up baddies as Batman in "Batman: Arkham VR", while others carried out robberies in "The London Heist". The Ani-Com show is one of the biggest of its kind in Asia, where teenagers and video game lovers go to buy limited editions of toy figures and wear costumes mimicking their favourite comic book heroes. (AFP)

Zombies take over Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution at gaming show

China&#39;s biggest gaming group Tencent Holdings Ltd is to buy a majority stake in Finland&#39;s Supercell, which makes the &#39;Clash of the Clans&#39; mobile game, from SoftBank Group Corp, in a deal valued at roughly $8.6 billion. 
 
The purchase will expand Tencent&#39;s interests overseas, as the Chinese video game and social network group still relies mainly on its home market even though it has stakes in various foreign studios like Epic Games and Riot Games. 
 
Tencent will acquire about 84.3 per cent of Supercell via a wholly-owned consortium, including all of SoftBank&#39;s 72.2 per cent stake, it said on Tuesday. The sale is the biggest ever deal in gaming merger and acquisitions. 
 
The consortium will open up to co-investors, though Tencent expects to maintain a 50 per cent voting interest, it said. 
 
Supercell, also creator of Boom Beach and Hay Day, has a handful of successful games and gets a significant amount of revenue from in-game purchases, helping it to avoid the problems faced by the likes of rival Rovio Entertainment, which has failed to create a new hit game since its 2009 launch of Angry Birds. 
 
The Finnish company will now receive Tencent&#39;s backing as it pushes more aggressively into China&#39;s large online gaming market. 
 
With just 180 employees, Supercell had pre-tax profit of 880 million Euros with sales of 2.1 billion Euros ($2.38 billion) last year, putting the six-year-old firm into the list of largest Finnish companies measured by earnings. 
 
Clash of Clans, the world&#39;s number one grossing mobile game last year, is a war strategy game in which players build fortresses, form clans and battle it out with other clans in a Medieval-style fantasy world. 
 
Supercell&#39;s current management will keep their operational independence and the company will remain in Finland, Tencent&#39;s statement said. 
 
For SoftBank, the Tencent deal will mark its third major asset reshuffle in the past month. Softbank is seeking to bolster its finances following its 2013 acquisition of a majority stake in struggling US wireless carrier Sprint Corp. 
 
SoftBank said the latest sale would yield a return of around 2.9 times its original investment. It expects to book a 600-billion Yen ($5.74 billion) pre-tax profit this financial year from the sale. 
 
The Japanese media and telecoms company this month said it would sell $10 billion worth of shares in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to cut debt, as well as a decision to sell its stake in GungHo Online Entertainment Inc back to the mobile game maker for 73 billion Yen. 
 
In a surprise move, SoftBank said on Tuesday, President Nikesh Arora would resign as of its Wednesday shareholder meeting, less than two years since he joined the group. 
 
Tencent said it expected the Supercell deal to close in the third quarter of 2016. The Chinese company made 32 billion Yuan ($4.86 billion) revenues in the first three months of 2016, of which over half came from gaming. 
 
(Reuters)

The maker of hit games Boom Beach and Hay Day now has Tencent's backing as it pushes into China's large gaming market

China's biggest gaming group Tencent Holdings Ltd is to buy a majority stake in Finland's Supercell, which makes the 'Clash of the Clans' mobile game, from SoftBank Group Corp, in a deal valued at roughly $8.6 billion. The purchase will expand Tencent's interests overseas, as the Chinese video game and social network group still relies mainly on its home market even though it has stakes in various foreign studios like Epic Games and Riot Games. Tencent will acquire about 84.3 per cent of Supercell via a wholly-owned consortium, including all of SoftBank's 72.2 per cent stake, it said on Tuesday. The sale is the biggest ever deal in gaming merger and acquisitions. The consortium will open up to co-investors, though Tencent expects to maintain a 50 per cent voting interest, it said. Supercell, also creator of Boom Beach and Hay Day, has a handful of successful games and gets a significant amount of revenue from in-game purchases, helping it to avoid the problems faced by the likes of rival Rovio Entertainment, which has failed to create a new hit game since its 2009 launch of Angry Birds. The Finnish company will now receive Tencent's backing as it pushes more aggressively into China's large online gaming market. With just 180 employees, Supercell had pre-tax profit of 880 million Euros with sales of 2.1 billion Euros ($2.38 billion) last year, putting the six-year-old firm into the list of largest Finnish companies measured by earnings. Clash of Clans, the world's number one grossing mobile game last year, is a war strategy game in which players build fortresses, form clans and battle it out with other clans in a Medieval-style fantasy world. Supercell's current management will keep their operational independence and the company will remain in Finland, Tencent's statement said. For SoftBank, the Tencent deal will mark its third major asset reshuffle in the past month. Softbank is seeking to bolster its finances following its 2013 acquisition of a majority stake in struggling US wireless carrier Sprint Corp. SoftBank said the latest sale would yield a return of around 2.9 times its original investment. It expects to book a 600-billion Yen ($5.74 billion) pre-tax profit this financial year from the sale. The Japanese media and telecoms company this month said it would sell $10 billion worth of shares in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to cut debt, as well as a decision to sell its stake in GungHo Online Entertainment Inc back to the mobile game maker for 73 billion Yen. In a surprise move, SoftBank said on Tuesday, President Nikesh Arora would resign as of its Wednesday shareholder meeting, less than two years since he joined the group. Tencent said it expected the Supercell deal to close in the third quarter of 2016. The Chinese company made 32 billion Yuan ($4.86 billion) revenues in the first three months of 2016, of which over half came from gaming. (Reuters)

China's Tencent buys Finland's Supercell for $8.6 billion in the biggest ever deal in gaming merger and acquisitions

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