Mistplay ranks as a Top 100 company on The Globe and Mail's fifth-annual ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies.
Tokyo Ghoul Officially Authorized Mobile Game "Tokyo Ghoul: Break the Chains" Pre-Registration Now Open
TOKYO GAME SHOW 2023 flash reports
Taimanin RPG Extasy Pre-Registration Begins
TGS2023 : SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT - Award Winners
Pixelworks Visual Display Technology Brings Entirely New Visual Experience to NetEase's "Revelation Mobile"
TGS2023 : Main stage timetable and other details are released
CRKD Begins Shipping of the Nitro Deck for Nintendo Switch and OLED Switch Consoles
My Play For Asia launches "GOH - The God of Highschool"
FaZe Clan claims title as FIFAe Continental Cup Champion 2023 in Shanghai
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TGS2023 : Last-minute Updates_Floor Map Unveiled Today
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairperson: Haruhiro Tsujimoto) has released updates on the much-awaited TOKYO GAME SHOW 2023 (TGS2023). The event will finally take place next week, from September 21 (Thu.) to September 24 (Sun.) The floor map of the in-person venue at Makuhari Messe and all of the organizer’s projects are now unveiled on the official website of TGS2023 (https://tgs.cesa.or.jp/en/). In addition, the TGS official streaming program details and the SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2023 (SOWN2023) finalists have been announced today. Be sure to stay tuned for more news on TGS2023, which is planned to be held on the largest scale ever. ■ TGS2023 Floor Map Unveiled! (Announced Today) For the first time in four years, the physical (in-person) venue for TGS2023 will occupy all areas of Makuhari Messe, including Exhibition Halls 1-11, Event Hall, and International Exhibition Hall. This year, TGS will introduce new areas such as the Gaming Hardware Area to showcase gaming PCs and peripherals, and the Gaming Lifestyle Area to suggest gaming furniture and interiors for gaming rooms. Additionally, the Family Game Park will make a comeback for the first time in four years. Please refer to the following for the location of each exhibition area. Click here for venue map https://4c281b16296b2ab02a4e0b2e3f75446d.cdnext.stream.ne.jp/tgs/2023/exhibition/common/en/tgs2023map_en.pdf ■ Eight Finalists for SOWN2023 Chosen! (Announced Today) Out of the 81 game titles that will participate in the "Selected Indie 80" free exhibition project at Indie Game Area, TGS2023 has announced the eight finalists who will compete at SOWN2023, a pitch event for indie game developers. The selected eight finalists will present their pitches at the TGS studio of Makuhari Messe on Sep. 22 (Fri.), which is Day 2 of TGS2023. The event will also be live-streamed as an official TGS program. The winners of the seven awards, including the Audience Award Grand Prix, will be announced following the final judge’s decision. Moreover, POCKY, a popular content creator assigned to the TGS2023 Indie Game Official Ambassador, will choose the work best representing the Sense of Wonder from the 81 titles participating in the Selected Indie 80 exhibition, from the perspective of a game commentator. The selected work will be recognized for the POCKY Award.
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First Asian Games Core Systems to be Hosted on Alibaba Cloud
In a mission to accelerate the digitalization of the Asian Games, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) has launched its core systems on Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. Alibaba Cloud's robust, reliable and secure technologies will support the first "Asian Games on the Cloud", to facilitate more intelligent, sustainable, sophisticated and efficient Asian Games - to be held in Hangzhou, the company's headquarters, from September 23 to October 8. The core systems, comprising Games Management Systems (GMS), Results Distribution Systems (RDS) and Games Support Systems (GSS), will support around-the-clock operations of 56 competition venues and other critical facilities such as the information technology management center, main media center and the Hangzhou Asian Games Villages, serving more than 100,000 registered users, including the athletes, broadcasters, journalists, staff and volunteers from 45 countries and regions across the globe. As the Games' official information technology integrator and cloud service provider, Alibaba Cloud is responsible for running an all-on-cloud Asian Games, leveraging its proven track record in supporting large-scale worldwide sports events. Selina Yuan, President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, said: "We have extensive experience supporting large-scale global sports events building upon our proven cloud technologies and trusted services. We are proud and excited to return to our headquarters this year to help deliver an innovative, efficient, sustainable and inclusive Asian Games in Hangzhou. With the even more advanced core systems support, we are committed to an effective collaboration with the Games' stakeholders, and with further improved cloud broadcast technologies, we will bring more engaging viewing experience to the global audience and sport fans." "The Hangzhou Asian Games will be another milestone for Alibaba Cloud to show how robust, scalable and secure cloud computing technologies can help drive digital transformation of large-scale sports events to bring sports and entertainment to every corner of the world," Yuan added. State-of-the art architecture seamlessly integrates with cloud-native core systems Alibaba Cloud provides the fundamental architecture that supports the seamless integration of the core systems as well as intelligent applications such as cloud broadcasting and event organization and communications. For example, at the end of each competition the Results Distribution System will receive data from the timing and scoring system at the venue, which will be further integrated into the central system for distribution in different formats through different application programming interfaces (APIs), such as the results display and news feeds. All of these are built on the Alibaba Cloud to ensure efficient, accurate and stable results distributions. Using cloud-native technology and running it on Alibaba Cloud's container services, the company enables more agile, scalable and efficient operations of the event. In addition, there is no longer a need for physical data centers that require large dedicated space and maintenance facilities to run. Cloud resources will be released once the event is concluded, making the games more environmentally friendly. More than 5,000 hours of excitement transmitted through live cloud broadcasting The Hangzhou Asian Games will also be the first in the games' history during which Rights-Holding Broadcasters (RHBs) will receive live footage through public cloud infrastructure. Alibaba Cloud expects to transmit more than 5,000 hours of live footage through as many as 68 high-definition(HD) and ultra-high-definition (UHD) feeds during the event. In addition to live broadcast, the cloud-based content platform delivers footage in HD or UHD, highlights of the Games and news flashes for RHBs to present to the audience's mobile or other devices. During the Games, the cloud broadcasting will transcend physical boundaries and bring the excitement to audiences across Asia and the rest of the world, through Alibaba Cloud's infrastructure and services in Hangzhou to ApsaraVideo Live Centers in Shanghai and Beijing as well as regional cloud resources in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Singapore. Prior to cloud broadcasting, broadcasters had to rely on dedicated and more costly international telecommunication optical circuits and spend a considerable amount of time to set up the equipment, in order to send live footage halfway across the globe back to their home countries. Now leveraging the highly scalable, resilient and secure global infrastructure of Alibaba Cloud and its network acceleration service – Global Accelerator, live multilateral content in high quality over the public cloud with a fraction of the cost and minimum time for set-up can be delivered. Cloud technology helps bring smart Asian Games Villages The Hangzhou Asian Games has launched an Intelligent Operation Platform to manage the operation of the three Asian Games Villages, which is expected to host over 20,000 athletes, reporters and officials. The platform leverages Alibaba Cloud's advanced visualization tool to analyze real-time intelligence to further streamline the management system, while providing more seamless user experience for those who live in the Villages. For example, Alibaba Cloud's solution utilizes real-time information to analyze traffic and crowd management. A warning will be provided on a dashboard if a public area gets too crowded for public safety. Extreme weather, power failure and fire warnings are also available for organizer's intelligence-driven decisions. With Alibaba Cloud's natural language processing (NLP) technology, an intelligent service robot will also provide all-day online consulting services in both English and Chinese for people living in the Asian Games Villages through a web application service. The chatbot can provide real-time responses related to the services available in the Villages.
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2D Fighting Game MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA Participate in PlayStation® BIG GAME BIG DEALS
TOKYO, Sept. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Project LUMINA (NotesCo., Ltd., Aniplex Inc., Lasengle Inc.) is now offering 2D Fighting Game MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA Participate in PlayStation® BIG GAMES BIG DEALS. 2D Fighting Game MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA Participate in PlayStation® BIG GAME BIG DEALS Please take this opportunity to purchase a copy. *Excluding some sale-exempt regions Official websitehttps://meltyblood.typelumina.com/en/Imagehttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JVgLhjJUbPhuuDw13RczgH4OmznB0_SR Sale PeriodSeptember 13, 2023, 00:00 ~ September 27, 2023, 23:59*Times are PDT for North America, GMT for Europe, JST for Asia. Applicable regionsNorth America, Europe, Asia. Sale discount rate50% (Subscribers to PlayStation® Plus can take advantage of a supplementary 5% off.) ["MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA" Overview] Title MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA Genre 2D Fighting Game Platform: PlayStation®4/Nintendo Switch™/Xbox One/Steam*Cross-platform battles are not supported Published: September 30 (Thu), 2021 - Available Now Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Korean Players: 1-2 (online play) Price 1. "MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA" Digital Deluxe Edition 69.99USD / 69.99EUR * Includes the "MELTY BLOOD ARCHIVES", a digital book looking back over the history of the "MELTY BLOOD" series and a music player. 2. "MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA" Digital Standard Edition 49.99USD / 49.99EUR Copyright ©TYPE-MOON / Project LUMINA Official website https://meltyblood.typelumina.com/en/ Official Twitter https://twitter.com/MB_LUMINA *"PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.*Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo.*Microsoft, the Xbox Sphere mark, and Xbox One are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. (C)2022 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and registered trademarks of Valve Corporation of the United States and/or other countries. About Lasengle Inc. Company Name Lasengle Inc.Location 3-6-28 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0042, JapanPresident and Representative Director Yoshinori OnoEstablishment December 2021Capital 10,000,000 yenShareholders Aniplex Corporation 100%
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TGS2023 Main Stage Special Event ”CR CUP” update Information
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairman: Haruhiro Tsujimoto) will hold special events at the Tokyo Game Show 2023(TGS2023) Main Stage <Dates: Sep. 21 (Thu) ~ Sep. 24 (Sun), [Real Venue] Makuhari Messe > which will be the first in the history of the Tokyo Game Show. This time, we will announce update information of CR CUP and ticket information for all main stage events. https://tokyogameshow.jp/ (*Japanese language only) ■Today’s update information (as of Sep.11) 1) "TGS2023× CR CUP" game title decided! The competition title of "Crazy Racoon Cup", one of the largest esports events in Asia, has been decided as Street Fighter 6. 2) Tickets for TGS2023 Main Stage are now on sale! Tickets for the Main Stage, which allows you to see the special event, are on sale at Lawson Ticket in Japan domestic. * Information on the stage contents and performers will be released on the official website as needed. * Please see the following pages for ticket sales information. * For details of the sales counter and schedule of Main stage special event etc., please check https://tokyogameshow.jp/ (*Japanese language only)
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TGSVR2023 : New information release
With more than 30 participating domestic and international companies, a dedicated stage, and 3 popular VTuber ambassadors, TGSVR2023 reaches its largest scale yet! Tokyo Game Show 2023, one of Asia's largest game industry events organized by Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairman, Haruhiro Tsujimoto), is hosting its third virtual edition, Tokyo Game Show VR 2023 (TGSVR2023), from September 21 to October 1. While exploring the virtual world, attendees can participate in the "Stamp Rally Quest" to collect avatars and spells while traveling through a mysterious landscape and visit the "GAME TREE THEATER," where they can view trailers for highly-anticipated games alongside mini live performances. There is also the announcement of the official ambassadors for TGSVR2023. The official TGSVR2023 website is up-to-date with more information about the upcoming event. Additional unrevealed information and announcements will be shared on the official X (Twitter) leading up to and during the event, so keep an eye on it! This year's TGS VR will be more advanced than ever before through the implementation of new performances and capabilities in the Metaverse, delivering entertainment and experiences that only TGS VR can offer. TGSVR2023 official website URL: https://tgsvr.com/
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Puzzles & Chaos, a brand new fantasy mobile strategy game has been officially launched: Awaken the dragon and save the frozen world
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Puzzles & Chaos, a fantasy match-3 strategy mobile game published by 37GAMES, was officially launched on September 6th on both the iOS App Store and Google Play. The game offers players unique match-3 strategy puzzles set in a magical world, where players will embark on an adventure through a frozen landscape to awaken mighty dragons and save their homeland. 【Link to Official Trailer: https://youtu.be/V3kFlRTGyAc】 Rally the forces and defeat evil creatures! In Puzzles & Chaos, players can recruit heroes from various races, train a diverse variety of units, and build their own magical armies. They can then unleash powerful tactical abilities and deploy their troops to push back evil creatures as they expand their territories, vanquishing anyone who stands in their way. Diverse and immersive battle experiences! There are countless ways to play Puzzles & Chaos, and the game offers something for everyone, ranging from Dungeon/Level Encounters, Competitive/Cooperative Multiplayer, or Alliance Wars, to just quietly and peacefully farming resources. The game's numerous match-3 levels feature smooth visuals and high-quality sound effects as players take part in battles on a 3D board. Coupled with the impressive and powerful ultimate skills of participating heroes, players will be treated to a unique match-3 gameplay experience. Additionally, players will face complex tactical challenges during the course of their journey — hero lineups and attack strategy will matter a lot when trying to beat more difficult levels. Moreover, players who enjoy social interactions will also enjoy Puzzles & Chaos. The game's alliance feature allows players from around the world to team up, unite against world monsters, and enjoy the thrill of fighting alongside one another while sharing abundant upgrade resources. From a frozen castle, into the ultimate immersive gameplay experience. Puzzles & Chaos has meticulously crafted a world covered in ice and snow, with stunning visual effects that truly immerse players in the game. Upon entering the game, every player's first and most urgent task is to break the frost seal. After resolving that crisis, they will have the freedom to construct and shape their own unique and personalized cities. Fight alongside the dragon! Mighty dragons are key to power on this frozen continent. A primary task for players is to awaken a powerful dragon frozen in the ice. After rescuing their dragon, players can experience the thrill of conquering the world alongside such a colossal and powerful creature. Feeding, training, and daily interactions will enhance the dragon's combat prowess, making it a formidable asset in battle. For more information, please check out the links below: Official Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/PuzzlesAndChaos Download Link on Store: https://pse.is/pncnews0906
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Pivoting to AI-Entertainment, Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire BlueLine Studios
Expansion into AI-powered online entertainment industry reflects strategic evolution of the business model NANPING, China, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: PAVS) (the "Company") today announced that it has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire 100% of BlueLine Studios Inc. ("BlueLine"), a portfolio company of Caravan Digital L.P. ("Caravan"), a co-founder of consumer companies authentically powered by iconic artists and athletes in partnership with Creative Artists Agency ("CAA"). The deal is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, provided that the parties reach a definitive agreement and the Company secures financing of at least $5 million. The completion of the deal is subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, including but not limited to satisfactory completion of due diligence and the Company's receipt of the payoff letters pertaining to certain indebtedness of BlueLine. Under the terms of the LOI, PAVS would acquire 100% of BlueLine's equity interests from Caravan and other equity owners of BlueLine. The consideration to be paid by the Company to purchase the equity interests is approximately $3.2 million in cash and unregistered Class A ordinary shares. Additionally, the Company will issue $1.11 million worth of its unregistered Class A ordinary shares to Caravan. Furthermore, the Company will issue $3.6 million worth of its unregistered Class A ordinary shares and $2.0 million worth of restricted stock units to a special purpose vehicle ("SPV") controlled by Mike Teh Wang, who represents BlueLine management. Finally, the Company will make a payment of $1.63 million in cash and unregistered Class A ordinary shares to the financial advisor for this Acquistion at the closing. Based in Vancouver, BlueLine is a video game developer that builds engaging interactive gaming experiences powered by world-class celebrity talent. BlueLine's portfolio of games includes a previously released match-3 mobile game, Apple Arcade's first trivia game, and other strategic projects in development. Before joining BlueLine, its team had amassed extensive experience in the gaming industry. Their track record includes participating in the development of multiple AAA titles, such as numerous Need For Speed and EA Sports games at Electronic Arts as well as top mobile titles such as the Simpsons: Tapped Out at Electronic Arts and Disney Magic Kingdom at Gameloft. Additionally, their past expertise extends to helping engineer backend systems used by some of the biggest games in the industry such as EA Sports titles at Electronics Arts. Under the terms of the LOI, BlueLine will have a right of first offer for any talent-related game development projects from Caravan for five years following the closing of the acquisition. During this period, BlueLine can decide to take on any potential gaming-related collaboration with talent which would allow BlueLine to execute its vision of delivering unforgettable, interactive chart-topping experiences that connect fans with their favorite celebrities. The BlueLine team intends to leverage its experience in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in games and incorporate advancements in content generation to create ever expanding experiences. Following the acquisition, BlueLine will focus on the development of the Hollywood Sunshine project. This new game project, is expected to be a unique social gaming platform that features multiple celebrities and is driven by AI-generated content (AIGC). The Hollywood Sunshine project will be an engaging story-based role-playing game (RPG) set in an open world, available on both PC and mobile platforms. BlueLine aims to captivate users with real-time, instantaneous player-specific content generation, offering many hours of narrative-driven gameplay. Additonally, Caravan has agreed to bring at least three relevant star talents to participate in the game, assuming the acquisition is successfully completed. Xuezhu Wang, CEO and the Chairman of the Board of the Company, commented, "Completing this acquisition as envisioned would signify the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd. It will position us favorably as an AI-driven gaming and entertainment enterprise. The extensive expertise of BlueLine's seasoned team and their long-standing relationships with Caravan and CAA will bring tremendenous value to our Company. Furthermore, the potential synergies between BlueLine and 2Lab3, both sharing a similar focus on AI, will further contribute to our future growth." "Partnering with a company that supports and shares our vision and values presents a remarkable opportunity," stated Mike Teh Wang, CEO of BlueLine. "Our talented team is thrilled to join forces with PAVS after the close of the acqusition, leveraging our AI-powered technology and unique celebrity resources to develop and deliver an exclusive social gaming platform highlighting various celebrities." If successfully finalized, the acquisition of BlueLine will be the latest milestone for the Company, further demonstrating its new strategic focus on the burgeoning field of AI-powered pan-entertainment. In March 2023, PAVS acquired 2Lab3, a Los Angeles-based firm that initially focused on Web3 but has recently shifted its focus towards the development of AI-powered applications, marking the Company's first step into this emerging technology field. ### About Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd. Headquartered in Nanping, China, Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd. (fka Happiness Development Group Limited) is currently planning a strategic transition. As part of this transition, the Company will suspend its loss-incurring e-commerce and internet information and advertising businesses in September. Instead, the Company intends to shift its focus to the AI-powered entertainment industry by entering into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with BlueLine. Following the suspension of these businesses and the disposal of its nutraceutical and dietary supplements business in August 2023, the Company's only remaining operating business in China will be the automobile sales business. For more information, visit http://www.pavs.ai/ . BlueLine Studios Inc. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, BlueLine Studios Inc. is a gaming studio that specializes in creating interactive entertainment in collaboration with world-class celebrities. Being backed by Caravan enables BlueLine access to star talents to deliver chart-topping interactive experiences for users. For more information, visit https://www.BlueLinestudios.co/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as "may, "will, "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and North America, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Media Contact:Michael ChenParanovus 929.288.7418michael@pavs.ai Investor Relations Contact: Jackson LinLambert646.717.4593jlin@lambert.com
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Puzzles and Survival's All New Kung Fu Update Makes Its Offical Debut Today! Featuring a New Hero, the Warrior Monk Wuxin!
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Puzzles & Survival, the popular zombie-themed match-3 mobile strategy game published by 37 Games, is announcing the official release of a brand-new update, Puzzles & Survival x Kung Fu. Puzzles & Survival x Kung Fu In this version of Puzzles and Survival, efforts have been made to integrate authentic elements of Kung Fu culture into the game, giving players a genuine understanding and appreciation of this ancient cultural practice. The team at 37 Games worked with Shi Yanbo, a 34th generation Shaolin warrior monk, to create a new promotional video, using the latest motion capture technology to ensure the characters onscreen move with grace and agility. https://youtu.be/F5L-H8zhPH4The promotional trailer of the Kung Fu update is here Warrior monks generally do not leave their monasteries, but in times of great turmoil, they will unhesitatingly descend from the mountains to offer assistance to those who find themselves in difficult circumstances. After the outbreak of the zombie virus, the world descended into chaos, and even this isolated monastery was not spared from its impact. So, the young monk Wuxin decides to leave his monastery in order to aid others. However, the journey will be long, and the dangers many. https://youtu.be/NL2COD98nswMaster Kung Fu, Vanquish the Undead! There are numerous Kung Fu-themed events designed specifically for this update, including the ability to meet and recruit a new hero, the warrior monk Wuxin! Despite his youth, he has trained in martial arts for many years. He excels particularly in staff techniques and wields the formidable weapon, the Grandmaster's Staff. His strength should not be underestimated! Invite him to join your combat team and together, vanquish the Zombie Grandmaster! Fight Alongside Wuxin, the Warrior Monk Kung Fu, is not only about passing down physical skills but also about mastering the philosophy of Kung Fu. Thanks to the dedication of countless generations of practitioners, people around the world can learn about Kung Fu culture and understand its true nature. And thanks to 37 Games, players can follow in the footsteps of the warrior monk Wuxin as they master the art of Kung Fu in Puzzles and Survival! Download the new update today!Download Link: https://pse.is/kungfuus Official Community Page: https://www.facebook.com/PnS.37Games
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Idle Survivors: Last Stand Sets New Norm for Apocalypse-Themed Gaming with Lighthearted Fun and Alien Invasion Adventure
Introducing the world's first idle mobile game takes players on missions to liberate Earth from the clutches of alien forces. SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its global launch, Idle Survivors: Last Stand, a relaxing and funny idle RPG published by MAX GAME PTE. LTD., set in a world devastated by an alien-planned plague to conquer Earth, has been featured in the Google Play and App Store in over 130 regions. Players embark on thrilling battles as commanders in a world where they can train heroes, unlock vehicles, and team up with allies to slay and repel the alien invaders from Earth. The game has already amassed a huge fanbase and garnered rave reviews. Hippo, a player of the game since the open beta testing, commented, "a fantastic combo between idle RPG and fun team builder". "It is a much more balanced gameplay vehicle compared to other games that rely heavily on pay-to-win. I would give it a 10/10 recommendation for it's an easy daily time killer," he said. Developers have crafted a joyful and relaxing gaming experience by incorporating adorable characters, cute artworks, an engaging storyline, and action-packed gameplay centred around alien invasion, breaking away from the somber visuals and dark themes typically associated with doomsday-themed games. The gaming system allows players to focus on building their teams by strategically selecting heroes from five district fractions and six jobs that specialize in different skills and weapons. Players can improve their characters' abilities during battles using a versatile vehicle system that offers five levels for players to upgrade and explore. The game's side quests include mini-games, dungeon hunting, and trials to level up characters, accompanied by a vast selection of Mecha skins in the warehouse for an unparalleled gaming experience. To help new players swiftly progress through beginner levels, multiple giveaways are available, including the coveted "1200 Draw Gift Box" awarded upon completing the beginner tutorial. Daily Talents Summon Tickets and the chance to claim S and SS-class heroes await the journey during the first 7-day login. In addition, new players who complete the tutorial receive an exclusive Interstellar Visitor avatar frame and can unlock essential items for alien slaying by entering the code "SLAYALIENS," including Talents Summon Tickets, Diamonds, and Banknotes. Idle Survivors is available to download on App Store and Google Play now.
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NetDragon Announces 2023 Interim Financial Results, Gaming Recovery on Track with Record High Revenue
HONG KONG, Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited ("NetDragon" or the "Company"; Hong Kong Stock Code: 777), a global leader in building internet communities, today announced its financial results for the first half of 2023. NetDragon's management team will hold a webcast at 10:00am Hong Kong time on 31 August 2023 to discuss the results and recent business development. Dr. Dejian Liu, Chairman of NetDragon, commented: "As China entered into a new post-pandemic era, we were able to capitalize on the domestic economic recovery as our gaming business resumed its growth trajectory in the first half of 2023, achieving revenue of RMB1.9 billion, an 8% increase YoY. We remained focus on executing our multi-pronged strategy of driving consistent revenue growth of our existing flagship games, continually investing in R&D to expand our pipeline of new games, as well as driving innovation with new technologies. As a result, our revenue growth for the period significantly exceeded the market growth again both in the PC and mobile segments[1]. This is a testament to not just the strength of our IPs, but more importantly, the deep capabilities of our team." "Our education business recorded a decline in revenue along with the broader market, as the industry entered into a digestion period after the Covid-driven demand spike in the last 2 to 3 years. Despite the temporary slowdown in shipment volumes, we maintained our global ex-China market share leadership[2] as we continued to achieve high win rates in the market. During the first half, we successfully launched our new ActivPanel LX which targets the "value" segment and enables us to address a significant share of the global addressable market, where users look for affordable, yet high-quality solutions. We also stepped up our development effort related to software monetization as we continued to make progress towards providing AI-enabled tools that are integrated with our panels with the goal of driving recurring revenue." "We are proud to report positive progress made on the ESG front. In the first half of 2023, our S&P Global Sustainability Score increased to 40 points, putting NetDragon in the top 7% of the "interactive media, services, and home entertainment industry" assessed by S&P Global. NetDragon was also rated in the "low-risk" category by prominent rating agency Morningstar Sustainalytics. And in July 2023, we were honored as a "Gaming Company with Outstanding Social Responsibility" by People's Daily Online for five consecutive years." "We remain committed to our capital return initiative, and therefore we are pleased to announce that the Board declared a special interim dividend of HK$1.0 and an interim dividend of HK$0.4 per ordinary share for the first half of 2023." 2023 First Half Financial Highlights Revenue was RMB3.7 billion, representing a 13% decrease YoY. Revenue from the gaming business was RMB1.9 billion, representing 52% of the Group's total revenue and an 8% increase YoY. Revenue from the education business was RMB1.7 billion, representing 47% of the Group's total revenue and a 29% decrease YoY. Gross profit was RMB2.3 billion, representing a 2% decrease YoY. Core segmental profit[3] from the gaming business was RMB1.1 billion, representing a 9% increase YoY. Core segmental loss[3] from the education business was RMB249 million, compared to RMB36 million in the same period last year. The increase is due to lower revenue and gross profits in the education segment, whereas our total education core segmental operating expenses were largely flat. Operating profit was RMB699 million, representing a 6% decrease YoY. Non-GAAP operating profit[4] was RMB692 million, representing a 19% decrease YoY. EBITDA was RMB917 million, representing a 5% increase YoY. Non-GAAP EBITDA[4] was RMB864 million, representing a 16% decrease YoY. Profit attributable to owners of the Company was RMB500 million, representing a 12% decrease YoY. Non-GAAP profit attributable to owners of the Company[4] was RMB589 million, representing a 28% decrease YoY. The Company declared a special interim dividend and an interim dividend of HK$1.0 and HK$0.4 per ordinary share respectively, for the six months ended 30 June 2023. Segmental Financial Highlights 2023 First Half 2022 First Half Variance (RMB million) Gaming Education Gaming Education Gaming Education Revenue 1,920 1,720 1,776 2,410 +8 % -29 % Gross Profit 1,858 419 1,699 610 +9 % -31 % Gross Margin 97 % 24 % 96 % 25 % +1 ppts -1 ppts Core Segmental Profit (Loss)[3] 1,094 (249) 1,006 (36) +9 % +592 % Segmental Operating Expenses[5] - Research and development (411) (225) (353) (226) +16 % 0 % - Selling and marketing (187) (238) (188) (252) -1 % -6 % - Administrative (156) (192) (152) (177) +3 % +8 % [1] According to the China Game Industry Group Committee ("CGIGC") & Gamma Data <China Gaming Industry Report, Jan-Jun 2023>, Jul 27th, 2023 [2] We were ranked the first in global ex-China K-12 IFPD market, according to the Futuresource Consulting <Q2 2023 World interactive Display Report>, Aug 2023 [3] Core segmental profit (loss) figures are derived from the Group's reported segmental profit (loss) figures (presented in accordance with Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standard ("HKFRS") 8), but exclude non-core/operating, non-recurring or unallocated items including government grants, intercompany finance costs, impairment loss (net of reversal), impairment loss of intangible assets, write-down of inventories, fair value change and exchange gain on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss ("FVTPL"), fair value change and exchange loss on derivative financial instruments, interest expense and exchange loss on convertible and exchangeable bonds, redundancy payments, legal and professional fees for proposed spin-off, and reversal of impairment loss of intangible assets. [4] To supplement the consolidated results of the Group prepared in accordance with HKFRSs, the use of non-GAAP measures is provided solely to enhance the overall understanding of the Group's current financial performance. The non-GAAP measures are not expressly permitted measures under HKFRSs and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures for other companies. The non-GAAP measures of the Group exclude share-based payments expense, amortisation of intangible assets arising on acquisitions of subsidiaries, impairment loss of intangible assets, write-down of inventories, fair value change on financial assets at FVTPL, fair value change on derivative financial instruments, finance costs, reversal of impairment loss of intangible assets and exchange loss on financial assets at FVTPL, convertible and exchangeable bonds and derivative financial instruments. [5] Segmental operating expenses exclude unallocated expenses/income such as depreciation, amortisation and exchange difference that have been grouped into SG&A categories on the Company's reported consolidated financial statements, but cannot be allocated to specific business segments for purpose of calculating the segmental profit (loss) figures in accordance with HKFRS 8. Gaming Business Our gaming business achieved record high revenue of RMB1.9 billion, representing an increase of 8% YoY and 16% HoH on the back of our solid business execution and gradual macro recovery in China leading to resurgence of players' spending in our games. The trend of such recovery is evident from the fact that we achieved consecutive quarterly gaming revenue growth from Q3 2022 to Q2 2023. During the first half, our domestic gaming business achieved revenue growth of 9% YoY, which significantly exceeded the market growth of 2%[6], demonstrating the exceptional resilience of our flagship IPs and the stickiness of our gaming communities. In the overseas segment, we achieved 4% YoY revenue growth during the period, compared to the negative market growth of 9%[7]. We also achieved revenue growth in both PC and mobile segments. Revenue from PC games amounted to RMB1.6 billion, accounting for 84% of total gaming revenue with an 8% YoY growth. Mobile game revenue reached RMB312 million, accounting for 16% of total gaming revenue and registering a 7% YoY growth. We continued to generate revenue growth from a combination of our existing games and new games. During the first half, our existing gaming portfolio generated the bulk of our revenue growth as we continued to execute our strategy to leverage upon the large base of players within our existing games with ultra-strong retention period, and to consistently strengthen communities and coming up with quality content updates and innovation within the games. This strategy has resulted in sustainable revenue growth that is evident in the operating history of our flagship games. Our Eudemons IP delivered a solid first half as our flagship Eudemons PC game achieved revenue growth of 10% YoY and 22% HoH. In addition, revenue of mobile games under the Eudemons IP increased by 10% YoY and 11% HoH. The strong performance is a result of our consistent, systematic effort in introducing new gameplay mechanics, content updates, as well as striking the optimal balance within the gaming ecosystem that results in the most fun gaming experience for different types of players. In particular, our Eudemons Online cross-platform (mobile) version saw HoH increase of 32% in MAU and 16% in APA, highlighting an increasing number of Eudemons PC players benefiting from an enhanced playing experience with both smartphones and PC. To further drive revenue growth, we launched a total of 4 expansion packs under the Eudemons IP, and also launched our new game Eudemons Mobile 2 in March. We continued to make progress in revitalizing our Heroes Evolved IP as we achieved a turnaround with HoH revenue increase of 12% for games under this IP on the back of a successful IP crossover partnership with the trendy anime IP, Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. We continued to calibrate the balance of gameplay for enhanced experience and expect to utilize targeted marketing techniques to step up our players' acquisition. To generate longer term growth, we are currently developing the 2.0 version of our flagship Heroes Evolved mobile game and expect to launch in the overseas market. We also made progress in the application of generative AI (aka. AIGC) in the operations of our gaming business. We have seen the application of AIGC leading to significant increase in our efficiency in gaming content production, and we expect that we will continue to ramp up the efficiency curve. We also initiated multiple projects on AIGC with the objective of optimally utilizing AI to enhance our players' experience, including projects in the areas of intelligent NPC and AI gaming companion. Looking forward, we expect a solid second half of the year ahead of us as we build on our accomplishments in the first half. We expect to make substantial progress with the development of new games in the pipeline, including multiple MMORPG and MOBA games that leverage our core development capabilities, as well as games that provide new experience for our gamers including an idle card game and a casual board game. [6] According to the China Game Industry Group Committee ("CGIGC") & Gamma Data <China Gaming Industry Report, Jan-Jun 2023>, Jul 27th, 2023 [7] Revenue of Chinese self-developed games from overseas market, according to the China Game Industry Group Committee ("CGIGC") & Gamma Data <China Gaming Industry Report, Jan-Jun 2023>, Jul 27th, 2023 Education Business Revenue from our education business was RMB 1.7 billion, a decrease of 28.6% YoY, as the global interactive flat panel market entered into a post-pandemic digestion period, which is a result of demand spikes in the past 2 to 3 years as countries around the world accelerated their edtech adoption at an unprecedented pace to address students' learning needs during the pandemic. This pace of adoption was highlighted by the fact that interactive flat panel ("IFP") shipment values in the education sector globally increased at an average annual rate of 28% in 2021 and 2022, compared to 13% in 2019 and 2020 [8]. In addition, our shipment growth significantly exceeded these already higher-than-normal market growth rates in the past 2 years. During the period, we maintained our global ex-China market leadership position, and our market share was No.1 in all 5 of our top markets including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and the U.A.E[9]. In May 2023, we reached a major product milestone with the launch of our ActivPanel LX, a lower-priced panel that enables us to enter a sizable segment of our global addressable market. We estimate this low-to-mid end segment represents 40-50% of the entire IFP market in terms of shipment volumes, as a growing number of schools look for simple, easy-to-use and affordable panels. Our ActivPanel LX is designed to precisely address these needs, and at a price that is a fraction of our higher-end ActivPanel 9 model. We also expect Promethean's existing market leadership and strong brand premium to further drive adoption of these panels, as there is a large market looking for high-quality low-end panels made by a top brand that they can trust. In addition, our ActivPanel LX product also targets a sizable replacement market. According to third-party research firm Futuresource, classrooms around the world are currently using over 5 million units of interactive whiteboards[10], which are products of an older technology and are being rapidly phased out. We believe the affordable feature of LX combined with our Promethean brand and quality will put us in the best position in the market to capitalize on this opportunity. As we started shipment of the product following the May product launch, revenue from ActivPanel LX only represented 4% of Promethean's revenue in the first half. As we continue to generate sales momentum, we expect this share to trend up in the coming quarters. We are also pleased to see a highly significant share of our LX sales pipeline coming from new customer accounts (ie. customers not using Promethean panels), a metric that highlights our ability to take market share away from our competitors in this lower end product category. Our adjusted gross margin (ex-tariff) for our Promethean subsidiary in the first half was 28.4%, a 2.5 ppt increase compared to the second half of 2022 as we sold down most of our ActivPanel 7 panels in 2022, hence allowing our overall margin to benefit more significantly from the higher ASP of ActivPanel 9 due to the more favorable product mix. During the period, the blended gross ASP of our panels was US$2,267, a 6% increase compared to the second half of 2022. Our ASP increase was due to ActivPanel 9 representing a higher share of our shipment volume, offset partially by the lower ASP of our new lower-end LX panel product. The launch of the ActivPanel 9 in June 2022 and the ActivPanel LX in May of this year also underscored a more optimal segmentation of our product lines which better cater to the needs of different types of users and allow us to generate higher revenue over the long run. In particular, our ASP for ActivPanel 9 since launched was over 30% higher than ASP of ActivPanel 7[11] as customers get more value from our premium panel with a higher ASP, whereas our ASP for ActivPanel LX in the first half of 2023 was 31% lower than ActivPanel Nickel (the entry-level model of our previous ActivPanel 7), hence targeting a whole new segment of users by dramatically lowering the barrier of ownership. We continued to heavily invest in research and development to enable AI monetization on our panels with the goal of generating recurring software revenue at scale. We were able to accelerate the development effort thanks to our acquisition of Explain Everything in November 2022, which provides the foundational platform that many of our future tools and features will be built on. Our plan is to generate subscription revenue by providing tools that not only seamlessly integrate with our hardware for the best user experience, but also address the true needs of teachers leveraging our understanding of our large user base. We currently expect to release the first software subscription package with integration of Promethean panels by the end of the year. We are also in active discussion with our partners to explore collaboration in large language models. In China, we continued to work with the National Center for Education Technology ("NCET"), a unit directly under the Ministry of Education. In July 2023, we were awarded the tender to implement a software development project for the National K-12 Smart Education Platform for primary and secondary schools. This project aims to upgrade and enhance this platform's functionalities in order to support large-scale and normalized online learning, as well as to create an ecosystem for the development and sharing of digital resources among all primary and secondary schools in China. Such platform was launched in March 2022 with broad-based countrywide adoption, amassing over 84 million registered users and 25 billion page views as of end of the first half. In April 2023, we reached a key milestone with our announcement of the signing of a merger agreement to spin off our overseas education business for listing on NYSE. Based on the agreement, NetDragon, through its subsidiary, will merge its core overseas education business with Gravitas Education Holdings at a valuation of US$750 million (or US$800 million for the combined merged entity). We believe this strategic move will not only broaden the financing alternatives of our overseas education business, but also provide an independent platform with strong governance to drive sustainable growth going forward. Going forward, we are well positioned to drive revenue growth for our education business with our enhanced product segmentation. Our complete product line from low to high end will enable us to capture a much larger revenue opportunity in the IFP market. Last but not least, we remain highly committed to our path to provide AI-enabled tools to be integrated with our panels to put us in position to generate recurring subscription revenue. [8] Shipment values in global education IFPD market, according to the Futuresource Consulting <Q1 2023 World Interactive Displays Market Report>, Apr 2023, and <Q1 2022 World Interactive Displays Market Report>, June 2022 [9] Shipment volume in global ex-China K-12 IFPD market, according to the Futuresource Consulting <Q2 2023 World Interactive Displays Market Report>, Aug 2023 [10] According to the Futuresource Consulting <Q1 2023 World Interactive Displays Market Report>, Apr 2023 [11] Over 30% higher ASP for ActivPanel 9 in both 1H 2023 and 2H 2022 (ActivPanel 9 was launched in June 2022) Management Conference Call and Webcast NetDragon's management team will hold a conference call and webcast at 10:00am Hong Kong time on 31 August 2023 to discuss the results and recent business developments. Details of the live conference call are as follows: International +852 2112 1888 Mainland China 4008 428 338 HK (China) +852 2112 1888 US +1 866 226 1406 UK 0800 032 2849 Passcode 9504031# A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of NetDragon's website at http://ir.nd.com.cn/en/category/webcast. Participants in the live webcast should visit the aforementioned website 10 minutes prior to the call, then click on the icon for "2023 Interim Results Conference Call and Webcast" and follow the registration instructions. About NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0777) is a global leader in building internet communities with a long track record of developing and scaling multiple internet and mobile platforms that impact hundreds of millions of users, including previous establishments of China's first online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China's most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless. Established in 1999, NetDragon is one of the most reputable and well-known online game developers in China with a history of successful game titles including Eudemons Online, Heroes Evolved, Conquer Online and Under Oath. In recent years, NetDragon has also started to scale its online education business on the back of management's vision to create the largest global online learning community, and to bring best-in-class integrated blended learning solutions to every school around the world. For investor enquiries, please contact: NetDragon Websoft Holdings LimitedMs. Maggie ZhouSenior Director of Investor RelationsEmail:maggiezhou@nd.com.cn / ir@netdragon.comWebsite:ir.netdragon.com CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2023 Six months ended 30 June 2023 2022 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) RMB million RMB million Revenue 3,681 4,240 Cost of revenue (1,394) (1,917) Gross profit 2,287 2,323 Other income and gains 120 44 Impairment loss under expected credit loss model, net of reversal - (9) Selling and marketing expenses (443) (442) Administrative expenses (570) (464) Research and development costs (641) (586) Other expenses and losses (50) (112) Share of results of associates and joint ventures (4) (9) Operating profit 699 745 Exchange loss on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss, convertible and exchangeable bonds and derivative financial instruments (35) (42) Fair value change on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 35 (32) Fair value change on derivative financial instruments 15 8 Finance costs (135) (99) Profit before taxation 579 580 Taxation (126) (38) Profit for the period 453 542 Other comprehensive income (expense) for the period, net of income tax: Item that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: Exchange differences arising on translation of foreign operations 61 17 Item that will not be reclassified to profit or loss: Fair value change on equity instruments at fair value through other comprehensive income (1) (1) Other comprehensive income for the period 60 16 Total comprehensive income for the period 513 558 Profit (loss) for the period attributable to: - Owners of the Company 500 565 - Non-controlling interests (47) (23) 453 542 Total comprehensive income (expense) for the period attributable to: - Owners of the Company 557 582 - Non-controlling interests (44) (24) 513 558 RMB cents RMB cents Earnings per share - Basic 92.61 104.42 - Diluted 92.61 104.40 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE 2023 30 June 2023 31 December 2022 (Unaudited) (Audited) RMB million RMB million Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 1,945 1,936 Deposits made for acquisition of property, plant and equipment 5 5 Right-of-use assets 356 380 Investment properties 61 59 Goodwill
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Hidden Singapore teams up with SG Mobility Gallery to launch free outdoor adventure game
Blending virtual and physical worlds, the free game, played in the real world over WhatsApp, helps players explore hidden gems in Singapore's iconic neighbourhoods. SINGAPORE, Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hidden Singapore, an award-winning gaming startup on a mission to uncover the city's hidden stories, has partnered with the SG Mobility Gallery to launch an interactive outdoor adventure game that offers a unique blend of discovery, history, and fun. Combining the physical and virtual worlds, "Tiong Bahru & Redhill: The Paths that Shape Us" lets players explore and discover the two iconic neighbourhoods with digital clues delivered to their phones. Starting from August 30, participants can go on an interactive puzzle trail around Tiong Bahru and Redhill, following clues over WhatsApp and led by Ah Seng, a fictional character inspired by true stories of local pioneering residents. As players navigate the storied streets and five-foot-ways of Tiong Bahru and Redhill, Ah Seng will be their bridge to the past, unveiling hidden gems like the Enabling Village and immersing them in the rich heritage and architectural nuances of these heartland areas. The whole experience, played over WhatsApp, is estimated to take about one to two hours to complete. The game is free to play. The latest game from Hidden Singapore builds on the company's earlier success in developing interactive games and activities in Singapore. Last month, the startup worked with JTC to launch a similar game at the Seletar Aerospace Park. By partnering SG Mobility Gallery, a showcase of Singapore's dynamic and comprehensive land transport system by the Land Transport Authority, Hidden Singapore is bringing the fun and curiosity of urban exploration to new audiences. Hidden Singapore's unique chatbot-led games have already won multiple awards, including the TripAdvisor Best of the Best Award for 2023. By bringing people on a trip to explore their neighbourhoods, the games also help local businesses gain more foot traffic and potential customers. "In 2021 we were just toying with the idea of using WhatsApp to tell the hidden stories of Singapore, so it feels amazing to have more people uncovering gems in the city with this new partnership with SG Mobility Gallery," said Lim Yee Hung, co-founder of Hidden Singapore. "As we expand to more areas around the little red dot, we hope to help both locals and tourists alike uncover the rich secrets hiding beneath Singapore's sanitised surfaces," he added. As an added bonus, all participants for the Tiong Bahru & Redhill game will be automatically entered into a monthly lucky draw. Fifteen lucky explorers will be chosen each month to take home a limited edition Thomson East-Coast MRT Lego toy. To sign up for the game, go to hidden.sg/tiongbahruredhill/signup About Hidden Singapore Hidden Singapore (www.hidden.sg) is an award-winning gaming startup that combines the physical and virtual worlds to help players uncover hidden gems in the city's iconic neighbourhoods. Set up in Singapore during the Circuit Breaker period is 2021**,** the company is the brainchild of two childhood friends who wanted to make country's rich history come alive and easily accessible through games and technology.
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TGS2023 Unveils 10 Official Influencers from Overseas
- TGS Indie Game Official Ambassador is POCKY for Two Consecutive Years Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairperson: Haruhiro Tsujimoto) has announced the official supporters for the upcoming TOKYO GAME SHOW 2023, to be held in-person at Makuhari Messe from September 21(Thu.) to 24 (Sun.) The official supporters will join us in increasing momentum leading up to the event. Ms. Risa Unai, an anchor known for her passion for gaming, is the TGS2023 Official Supporter. Additionally, TGS recruited and selected 10 official influencers from the Asia-Pacific region (Official Influencer from Asia-Pacific) to promote the event to overseas viewers for the first time in its history. POCKY, a content creator, will be the Official Indie Game Ambassador for the second consecutive year. With the help of the mentioned individuals, we will bring excitement to the event before and during TGS2023. Please stay tuned.
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Club Koala: Your Personal AI-Powered Gaming Experience
Play for Fun, part of Kunlun Group, introduces Club Koala, a revolutionary AI UGC platform. SINGAPORE, Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unveiled at Gamescom 2023, this indie gaming studio's creation re-imagines gaming with lifelike AI NPCs and user-friendly editors, all without the need for complex programming skills. Club Koala empowers players to craft their dream world, an island paradise infused with AI characters, mini-games, and AI-generated music. Its innovative AI capabilities provide an immersive and customizable experience, enabling players to design, interact, and build communities effortlessly within the game. At its core, Club Koala represents a new era of gaming, where generative AI shapes highly personalized experiences. Players can create a virtual haven that fulfills their desires for creativity, friendship, education, and more. Fang Han, CEO of Play for Fun Studio, envisions AI not only enhancing gaming but also enriching everyday life worldwide, pushing the boundaries of the industry. The game's cutting-edge features redefine PC and mobile gaming: Island Construction: Players seamlessly customize avatars, design experiences, complete quests, and engage with AI NPCs in their personalized dreamscapes. Koala Editor: Built on Unity3D, this editor empowers players to design UGC maps and games without any coding requirements. UGC Mini Games: Tailor-made challenges catering to diverse skill levels and play styles. AI NPCs: The Atom AI System , which combines generative AI with the studio's own developed technology, enables NPCs to learn from players, creating natural and fluid interactions. Where the Magic Happens The AI NPCs create an incredibly human gameplay encounter, fostering the development of social-emotional skills. These NPCs operate autonomously, adapting to player behavior, offering personalized quests, and contributing to intricate narratives. By incorporating prepossessing, pan-dialogue, text parsing, and an AI NPC behavior tree structure, the game generates one-of-a-kind storyline, reflecting players' individual creativity. The eagerly anticipated Club Koala Beta version is set to launch for both PC and Mobile in Q4 2023. Stay updated through the Club Koala Discord community , as well as on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. About Play for Fun Studio Established in January 2021 under Kunlun Group, Play for Fun Studio is on a mission to create an inclusive gaming universe using state-of-the-art AI technology. Providing a secure space for self-expression and socialization, Play for Fun Studio caters to gamers across all age groups.
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NetEase Games Held the "2023 Games Unbounded" Conference in Cologne, Germany
COLOGNE, Germany, Aug. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "2023 Games Unbounded" NetEase Games Conference was held in Koelnmesse, Cologne on August 23rd. At the conference, NetEase Games announced updates to its International Business Plan for NARAKA: BLADEPOINT and Where Winds Meet, and invited industry veterans to discuss the current landscape and to consider potential opportunities and challenges both current and future. There have been many high-quality titles produced by Chinese developers coming to the fore in recent years. As a leading global developer and publisher with multiple local studios, NetEase Games continues to embrace brilliant game creators both in China and around the world. NetEase Games has empowered several game developers to create titles with traditional cultural background settings and elements. NARAKA: BLADEPOINT and Where Winds Meet are two such titles that have received great global attention. These titles were both showcased at the conference. Senior marketing director of NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, Riten Huang introduced some of the game's achievements including global e-sports tournaments. He also announced the official launch of the 2023 World Championship. The Qualifying rounds will take place in six major regions worldwide in October, with the finals to be held in China in December. Senior Marketing Director of NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, Riten Huang The lead producer of Where Winds Meet from Everstone Studio, shared the latest design of in-game buildings and architecture based on actual Northern Song Dynasty historical sites and documentaries. The Wuxia-style setting, narrative, skills, and combat combine to express the unique concept of Chinese martial arts. A co-research and co-creation project to enhance player experience is also in progress. The producer further revealed the game's co-testing schedule with the developers in Montreal, Canada in September. Cord Eberspaecher, Former German Director, of the Confucius Institute at Dusseldorf and Heinz Hermanns, President, Interfilm Berlin discussing Where Winds Meet About NetEase Games NetEase Games, the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX:9999), is a leading global developer and publisher of video game IP across a variety of genres and platforms. NetEase Games' development and publishing slate include titles such as Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Knives Out, and Naraka: Bladepoint, and partnerships with major entertainment brands such as Warner Bros and Mojang AB (a Microsoft subsidiary). NetEase Games also supports the growth and development of its innovative global studios in Canada, Europe, Japan and the United States. For more information, please visit https://www.neteasegames.com/
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CEDEC AWARDS 2023 the grand prize in each category had been decided
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairman:Haruhiro Tsujimoto) is pleased to announce that CEDEC 2023 (Computer Entertainment Developers Conference 2023) has been held from Wednesday, August 23 to Friday, August 25 at Yokohama. Focusing on technologies that have made outstanding achievements in the advancement of computer entertainment development, we have selected the top awards in each category of the "CEDEC AWARDS 2023", which honors the achievements of developers from a technical perspective. "CEDEC AWARDS" is a related event of CEDEC 2023 where the CEDEC Steering Committee will decide the grand prize after the CEDEC 2023 participants and speakers vote from among the excellence awards in each category announced earlier. In addition, as previously announced, the "Special Award," which recognizes those who have contributed to the overall development of computer entertainment, was given to the "The Legend of Zelda" development team and producer Eiji Aonuma (Nintendo Corporation). For more information about the Grand Prize and the CEDEC AWARDS, please visit the CEDEC 2023 official website. https://cedec.cesa.or.jp/2023/event/awards/prize (in Japanese only)
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TGS2023 Announces its First Special Events at Main Stage
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA, Chairman: Haruhiro Tsujimoto) will hold special events at the Tokyo Game Show 2023 (TGS2023) Main Stage <Dates: Sep. 21 (Thu) to Sep. 24 (Sun), [Real Venue] Makuhari Messe > which will be the first in the history of the Tokyo Game Show. Today, we're announcing additional information on the stage content that will be taking place at the Main Stage during open days. *Click here for details and schedule for the Main Stage https://tokyogameshow.jp/ (*Japanese language only) ■Additional Information at Main Stage (as of Aug.25) 1) "TGS×AZUL BY MOUSSY Fashion Show" Collaboration game titles have been decided. Those are TEKKEN 8, Pac-Man from Bandai Namco Entertainment, Street Fighter 6 from Capcom, Bomberman from Konami Digital Entertainment, and NieR: Automata from Square Enix. 2) "TGS×AZUL BY MOUSSY Fashion Show" Popular models will be added for participation. In addition to Suzu Yamanouchi and Minami Fukuoka, Yu Matsumoto, Ryona, Ayuka Nakamura and other fashion show performers have been decided. 3) "Streamer's Stage Played" Collaboration game titles have been decided. Those titles are "WoLong: Fallen Dynasty" from Koei Tecmo Games, "FOAMSTARS" from Square Enix, and "Street Fighter 6" from Capcom. 4) "TGS2023 SPECIAL LIVE" Live performed artists are confirmed. Rapper VaVa and beatmaker STUTS will appear at "TGS2023 SPECIAL LIVE"! * All these programs are Japanese language only, * Please see the following pages for ticket sales information. However, tickets sales in Japan domestic only. * For further details about the sales window, please visit https://tokyogameshow.jp/. (*Japanese language only)
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Pearl Abyss Showcases Crimson Desert at Gamescom Opening Night Live
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global developer and publisher Pearl Abyss unveiled new Crimson Desert gameplay at Gamescom's Opening Night Live show that was held in Cologne, Germany on Tuesday, August 22. The show was live broadcasted to an audience of millions worldwide. The new Crimson Desert gameplay trailer showed significant development progress from its 2020 debut, in 4K high-quality gameplay footage. The video portrays the story of the main protagonist, Kliff, who is investigating events that transpire in the region of "Hernand" and embarking on a journey of exploration through a vast open world. Watch the trailer on YouTube here. The video showcases realistic and exceptional graphical quality, highlighting immersive gameplay set in a sprawling open world, consisting of vast regions and cities. Other highlights include environment and NPC interactions, motion captured combat and action sequences which offer a sense of realism and enhanced gameplay. The trailer showed off diverse combat, from hand-to-hand and wrestling moves to showcasing how players can use various objects (and their surroundings) against foes set in Crimson Desert's rich open world. From boss fights to duels and battles against large groups of enemies, the footage highlighted the exhilarating combat that challenges players to take out foes with diverse mechanics. The trailer also showed spectacular skydiving, characters climbing buildings and trees, jumping over high barriers, and various mini games such as fishing, arm-wrestling, and taming wild horses. Developed on Pearl Abyss' proprietary next-generation "BlackSpace Engine,'' Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game. With an engaging setting and realistic characters, Crimson Desert depicts the story of mercenaries fighting for survival on the expansive continent of Pywel. Pearl Abyss is set to deliver a unique gameplay experience with Crimson Desert and aims for a simultaneous global release on console and PC platforms. Crimson Desert's new gameplay video and detailed game information can be found on the official website. About Pearl Abyss Established in 2010, Pearl Abyss is a leading developer in the game industry with its renowned MMORPG franchise Black Desert. Pearl Abyss services the Black Desert IP across all platforms. All of Pearl Abyss' games are built on the company's proprietary engine and are renowned for cutting-edge graphics. Pearl Abyss is currently developing Crimson Desert, DokeV, and PLAN 8 using its next-generation game engine and is poised to grow its overseas market. More information about Pearl Abyss is available at: www.pearlabyss.com