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PUBG soft-launches on mobile in Canada with Android release
Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, the ‘battle royale’ style game where everyone tries to be the last player standing while scrounging for supplies to keep them alive, has launched on Android in Canada MobileSyrup reports, which could presage a future release in the U.S.
The arrival of the mobile version of the game more generally known as PUBG coincides with it reaching the 5 million player milestone on Xbox, where it’s been available since late last year after debuting on the PC in early access earlier in 2017. It’s not cross-play compatible, unlike Fortnite, however, so if you’re playing the Android version you’ll be matched up against others with the app, which is published by Chinese Internet giant Tencent.
This Android port wasn’t developed by original PUBG studio Bluehole, but they say they oversaw the creation of this mobile version. Based on early testing with a Pixel 2 XL, it looks and feels a lot like the original.
PUBG doesn’t have quite the hype of Fortnite right now, since that’s begun a cross-platform play mobile beta and also Drake just played a session with one of the most popular professional esports players in the world. But a mobile version close at hand (and available now, if you’re Canadian) is reason to get excited.
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Chat app Kakao’s games business lands $130M from Tencent and others ahead of IPO
Korea’s dominant messaging firm Kakao is back raising funds after its games business, a standalone unit that is headed for an IPO, pulled in $130 million (140 billion KRW) from Tencent and a range of other strategic investors. The company, which owns Korea’s top mobile messaging app and one of the country’s largest internet portals, operates a sprawl of businesses that… Read More
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As Cook and Pichai leave China, Valley confronts rising internet tyranny in world’s second largest market
It’s been a bad few months for internet freedom in China (and really, a bad few decades, but who is counting?). The government brought into force a broad-ranging “cybersecurity law” earlier this year that empowers Beijing to take unilateral control over critical internet infrastructure, while also mandating that foreign companies keep all citizen data local inside China. Read More
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EV startup Nio reportedly raises $1B from Tencent and others
Electric cars are set to become an increasingly lucrative investment target, if they continuing enjoying the strong support of global initiatives to lower emissions and put clearer vehicles on roads. So expect more funding like the reported $1 billion that Niobium’s (formerly NextEV) has raised from a host of investors led by Tencent, per Reuters. The Chinese carmaker has already set… Read More
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Tencent doubles down on game studio Pocket Gems with $90M investment
Chinese internet Tencent has continued its recent investment spree after it backed U.S.-based game studio Pocket Gems to the tune of $90 million. Tencent invested in Pocket Gems back in 2015, when it put in a reported $60 million for a 20 percent stake. This time around the Wall Street Journal reported the investment as $90 million, which TechCrunch has confirmed independently. That deal,… Read More
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Social music startup Smule raises $54M for Asian expansion
Smule, maker of Sing! Karaoke and other social music apps, announced yesterday that it has raised $54 million in a round led by Chinese company Tencent. Adams Street Partners, Bessemer Ventures, Floodgate, Franklin Templeton and Shasta Ventures also participated in the funding. Reuters reported that the round valued the company at $604 million, setting up Smule to expand in Asia and potentially… Read More
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Tencent to open AI research center in Seattle
Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent will be opening a new AI research center in Seattle, according to The Information. The company has long had a core office in Palo Alto, but this will be its first major machine intelligence R&D effort in the country. Earlier this week Tencent announced that it would open its first data center in Silicon Valley. Read More
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It might be time to stop looking for the WeChat of the West
I was recently in China, which meant I was living on WeChat. All my meetings were arranged through the app. I authenticated my identity for free Wi-Fi at shopping malls with WeChat. I checked in for a flight by scanning a QR code through WeChat. I watched office workers in Shenzhen pay for their lunches with WeChat. On the subway, most people were chatting with friends on… you know what… Read More
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Tencent reportedly eyes majority stake in Supercell, plans tie-ups with Publicis, LVMH
China’s Internet giant Tencent has been expanding its international reach in areas like games and advertising, and as part of that, the company is picking up its dealmaking in Europe. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the owner of the popular WeChat messaging platform is in early talks to buy a majority stake in Supercell — the mobile gaming phenomenon based out of… Read More
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Padmasree Warrior On Why She Chose To Take On Her New Role As NextEv CEO
NextEv, a Chinese electric car company potentially taking on Tesla and Faraday Future, has tapped Padmasree Warrior for the U.S. CEO position. Warrior will also head up software development and the user experience globally for the Shanghai-based company.
According to Warrior, NextEv has already pulled in half a billion dollars of the $1 billion it plans to raise from the likes of Sequoia… Read More
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