Welcome to Tech in Asia’s daily newsletter, your essential dose of Asia’s tech and startup buzz. Not yet a subscriber? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.
In focus
- Different paths, still billions in revenue for these gaming firms
- AI-powered shopping has its hurdles
- A ByteDance gaming studio might be off to Saudi
Hello reader,
I’ve started playing Dark Souls 3 again after putting it down multiple times before. I’ve already completed titles from its developer, Fromsoft, including Bloodborne and Sekiro, but the Dark Souls series has been left unfinished on my games list.
On mobile, however, I’m not playing anything right now. I used to play games like Genshin Impact, but I have been burned out too many times on failed gacha attempts at characters I like.
For the unfamiliar, gacha is a monetization mechanic in games. Mostly found on mobile titles, it lets users spend in-game to get a randomized chance of winning. It got its name from Japanese vending machines for capsule toys, which are called gachapons.
While gacha has turned me off, I’m clearly in the minority, judging by the financials of the likes of Hoyoverse, the company behind Genshin Impact.
In today’s top story, I look into the numbers of some of the biggest game publishers based in Singapore. They include Hoyoverse’s Cognosphere, Riot Games’ Riot Games Services, and Tencent’s Proxima Beta – now known as Level Infinite.
Each of them is playing the monetization game differently. Hoyoverse focuses on the gacha system, while Riot Games relies on character skins. As for Level Infinite, it offers a mix of both.
Together, these three giants are pulling in billions of dollars from titles that are mostly free-to-play. So, it’s likely that these controversial monetization models won’t go away soon.
Miguel Cordon, journalist
Top Story
Three giants, one city: SG gaming entities rake in billions
A promotional image for Hoyoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero / Photo credit: Hoyoverse
Hoyoverse secures high margins by strictly publishing internal titles. This strategy also ensures each game has a distinct look and feel, helping them stand out from each other.
Spotlight
Put your startup in the spotlight
Trending news
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
