Media & Entertainment

Nazara, developer of games like "World Cricket Championship 3," became the first Indian gaming company to go public last year. (Photo courtesy of Nazara Technologies)
Media & Entertainment

Indian mobile gaming boom rewards homegrown developers

Dream Sports raises $840m on expansion fueled by cheap wireless and lockdowns

12 February 2022
Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” was nominated in four categories, including best picture, for this year’s Academy Awards.
Media & Entertainment

Can Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi follow renowned Kurosawa?

'Drive My Car' is first Japanese film ever to be nominated for best picture

11 February 2022
Unlike chess or go, which is played by turns, Gran Turismo requires players to make real-time decisions based on what is happening in the game.
Technology

Sony gaming AI beats Gran Turismo world champ racer

Group eyes robotic and self-driving applications for program that teaches itself to play

10 February 2022
Bilibili, which is backed by both Tencent and Alibaba, has been struggling with widening losses and must now address the culture of overwork that afflicts China's online sector.  
Media & Entertainment

China video site Bilibili to add 1,000 censors after worker dies

Content monitoring team to be increased by 40% amid debate on overwork

9 February 2022
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan: Heirs of the video game company's founding family started a family office in 2020. (Photo by Kento Awashima)
Business deals

Nintendo heirs buy U.S. Japan-stock fund Taiyo Pacific

Yamauchi family office to inject own startup investment experience

8 February 2022
Tokyo hotel operator New Otani is running a campaign featuring decor based on the popular anime series "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" at six hotels around Japan.
Travel & Leisure

A night with 'Demon Slayer': Japan hotels offer guests fantasy

New Otani uses anime to draw guests amid pandemic, fall in business travel

6 February 2022
Nintendo's current fiscal year earnings have been hit by Switch production delays as a shortage of critical components and shipping snarls take a toll.
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo Switch sales hit 100m despite chip crunch

Gaming giant cuts console sales target but upgrades profit outlook

3 February 2022
Movies and music streaming helped Sony's revenues in the nine months to December.
Companies

Sony raises annual operating profit forecast to record $10.5bn

Music streaming and movie segments strong but PS5 sales hit by chip shortage

2 February 2022
Bungie's free-to-play shooter Destiny 2 is available on platforms including the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PCs.
Business deals

Sony, Microsoft game deals take battle further online

Bungie and Activision Blizzard have talent for mutliplayer megahits

2 February 2022
A big Totoro structure is one of the attractions at the park. 
Media & Entertainment

Get spirited away: Studio Ghibli park to open in Japan Nov. 1

Nature-friendly design expected to initially draw 1 million visitors a year

28 January 2022
Live-streaming platform Douyu's booth at the 2016 ChinaJoy digital entertainment expo in Shanghai.
China tech

Tencent will take US-listed streamer DouYu private: sources

New plan comes after merger with bigger Huya Inc blocked by regulators

27 January 2022
The frequencies controlled by Manuel Villar's company were taken over from ABS-CBN, after it ran afoul of President Rodrigo Duterte. (Source photos by AFP/Jiji and Reuters) 
Media & Entertainment

Duterte billionaire ally takes over shuttered TV network's assets

Manuel Villar, Philippines' richest man, expands media venture

26 January 2022
China has rolled out new rules to cut the amount of time kids and teens spend online 
Media & Entertainment

China's small game makers stung by licensing freeze

With survival on the line, cash-starved developers eye reboot overseas

26 January 2022
Manchester City plays Bristol City in the quarter final of the FA Women's League Cup in Manchester, U.K., on Jan. 19.
Media & Entertainment

'Netflix of sports' DAZN to hit Japan soccer fans with 55% bigger bill

Streaming service confident exclusive rights will keep viewers tuned in

26 January 2022
Bob Dylan, 80, is among a group of aging artists who have sold rights to investors seeking to capitalize on streaming opportunities. Dylan is pictured here in 2004.
Media & Entertainment

Sony Music says it acquires Bob Dylan's catalog of recorded songs

'Blowin' in the Wind' and 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' included in deal

25 January 2022
People walk past a display of posters for Chinese movie and television productions.
Media & Entertainment

Chinese TV dramas to label foreign actors in credits

Dual citizens risk losing work as Beijing tries to stoke patriotism

25 January 2022
A Chinese anime series titled "The Founder of Diabolism" has become a global hit, amassing more than 11 billion views worldwide. (Screenshot from Abema TV)
Media & Entertainment

Chinese CG-based anime storms global market

Streaming services press Japanese studios to keep up with dynamic sector

23 January 2022
People wear costumes from the Netflix series 'Squid Game' while celebrating Halloween, in Hong Kong on Oct. 31.
Media & Entertainment

Slowdown in Asia-Pacific user growth compounds Netflix woes

U.S. video-streaming giant confirms 'Squid Game' to get 2nd season

21 January 2022
Sony Group has a big rival to square off against now that Microsoft has announced a staggering deal for game developer Activision Blizzard. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Media & Entertainment

Microsoft's Activision deal intensifies gaming war with Sony

Xbox maker's acquisition points to subscriptions overtaking consoles

20 January 2022
The 100 or so members of ByteDance's investment team have three months to find new roles in the group.
China tech

TikTok owner ByteDance to disband strategic investment team

Moves comes as Beijing heightens scrutiny of deal-making by top tech groups

19 January 2022
Sony's stock price at one point fell to its lowest intra-day level in almost three-months. 
19 January 2022
Startup Deep Science last year raised 100 million yuan as it pivoted into virtual livestreaming. (Image courtesy Deep Science)
Media & Entertainment

Virtual hosts take China livestream spotlight amid crackdown

Influencers’ tax troubles open door for automated substitutes

18 January 2022
More than 230 aspiring stars took part in "The First" audition show that launched the boy band BE:FIRST.
Media & Entertainment

Japanese producer SKY-HI goes off script to launch BE:FIRST

Audience inclusion drives idol show popularity in 'process economy'

11 January 2022
Tencent last week trimmed its stake in Sea by selling shares worth $2.8 billion to $3 billion, sparking a sell-off among investors. (Source photos by Reuters) 
Caixin

Tencent's stake sale in Sea not about regulatory risk: source

Source says move was simply to cash out on an investment

10 January 2022
BTS appears in Los Angeles in their first in-person performance in two years.
Media & Entertainment

BTS parent amplifies K-pop success with tech platform

Music, social media and international talent recruitment work in harmony

9 January 2022