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China’s ban on South Korean online games fuels IP theft

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The Chinese government is sticking to its ban on providing licensing rights to South Korean developers for distributing mobile games inside China, is not only hurting the bottom line of the established developers but also allowing local copyright infringers and intellectual property thieves to thrive in the Chinese market.

China stopped new licensing for product distribution in March 2017 following the South Korean government’s permission to the USA to install the THAAD missile defense battery and radar system on South Korean soil. After the ban, Wemade, Bluehole Inc., Smilegate, and Nexon, some of the best known online game developers, are not able to obtain the license.

During this period, the Chinese government has allowed the distribution of at least 412 licenses to foreign-made games. From March 2017, on the other hand, the South Korean government has allowed 111 Chinese online games for sale in South Korea.

China has historically been the biggest market for South Korean online and mobile games. But since 2016, all mobile games must be approved before they can be distributed in China.

Beijing’s unofficial sanctions stretched from video games and entertainment to retail stores and even tourism. Tourist packages for Chinese citizens to travel to South Korea became unavailable for almost a year, and impacted Olympic ticket sales, though the tourist packages were put back on sale before the games.

South Korean game developers have seen no such reprieve, while Chinese copyright infringers and pirate servers have reaped the benefits in their absence.

In 2017, South Korea’s online and mobile gaming industry exported a value of 4 trillion won ($3.8 billion), according to figures from the Korea Creative Content Agency, and as high as 5 trillion won ($4.7 billion), according to the Korea Association of the Gaming Industry. That figure, while hefty, represents off-pace growth due to weak sales from the Chinese ban.

Local copyright infringement on Korean games is nothing new, particularly in China. South Korean game developers have been on top of the gaming industry since the late 1990s, and have consistently failed to adequately copyright and protect their product, perennially the newest and most sought-after item. Shanda Games, one of China’s top publishers, claimed in 2016 to be earning more than $100 million a month by distributing “The Legend of Mir,” ripped from the Wemade Entertainment title of the same name. The two companies are in the midst of a years-old lawsuit, though a Shanghai court has already protected Shanda’s copyright claims to the sequel.

Chinese courts have shown an increased vigilance when it comes to copyright infringement and intellectual property protection. In 2014, a new policy granted three courts–Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou–expanded jurisdiction over intellectual property rights.

But the trimmed-down judicial operation of the courts has also ossified in the face of foreign rights holders. In an interview with South Korean press, an intellectual property protection specialist warned that, in China’s courts, “there is an invisible wall that blocks foreigners from operating in the local market.”

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, a globally popular game developed by a South Korean games publisher, Bluehole, was similarly denied licensing in China. The violent nature of the game “severely deviates from the socialist core value and the Chinese traditional culture and moral rule,” the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association published in an online statement. The content regulator is grouped under the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, China’s central content regulator.

Seoul-based Bluehole struggled to attain rights to distribute PUBG in China. The Korean company promptly partnered with Chinese internet giant Tencent, and Tencent took the rights to distribute the game in China.

The partnership, which emphasised “working around regulations” has yet to see the game published, at least not the Korean original. The day before Tencent claimed rights to distribute PUBG in China, they released their own copycat version of the game, “Glorious Mission.”

Source: forbes.com

 

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Asia

SCCG Announces Strategic Partnership with Gridlogic

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SCCG Management, a premier advisory firm in the gaming industry with a global footprint and over 100 best-in-class client partners, announced a strategic partnership with Gridlogic, a leading Real Money Technology group and a pioneer in the iGaming industry. This partnership is set to enhance SCCG’s initiatives in the rapidly growing Indian gaming market, leveraging Gridlogic’s innovative technology solutions and artificial intelligence capabilities for player protection.

With Gridlogic’s reputation as one of India’s fastest-growing gaming technology companies, this collaboration marks a significant milestone in SCCG’s efforts to expand its global market entry and distribution of gaming products and platforms. Gridlogic, known for its next-generation technology and artificial intelligence applied to skill gaming, brings to the table a wealth of expertise and a robust portfolio of technology services that include gaming, data management and business transformation.

Stephen Crystal, Founder & CEO of SCCG Management, said: “Our alliance with Gridlogic represents a pivotal step forward in our mission to navigate the complexities of the global gaming landscape. Gridlogic’s innovative approach and technological prowess in the Indian market complement our strategic goals perfectly. Together, we are poised to unlock new opportunities and drive significant value for our stakeholders in one of the world’s most dynamic gaming markets.”

Pariekshit Maddishetty, Founder of Gridlogic, said: “Partnering with SCCG Management is a landmark moment for us at Gridlogic. Their global perspective and deep industry insights align seamlessly with our vision of revolutionizing the gaming sector through technology and artificial intelligence. This partnership not only strengthens our position in the Indian market but also accelerates our journey towards becoming a global leader in gaming technology solutions.”

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Asia

PAGCOR TURNS OVER PHP4.59-B CASH DIVIDENDS TO STATE TREASURY

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THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) today remitted a total of Php4.59 billion in cash dividends to the National Treasury to help fund the national government’s efforts in ensuring the country’s sustained economic growth and development.

The latest remittance represents 75% of PAGCOR’s net income in calendar year 2023. It is higher than the usual 50% remittance pursuant to the request of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto to PAGCOR to advance an additional 25% dividend to fund government expenditures.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the state gaming firm’s robust earnings from gaming operations enabled it to book Php79.37 billion in gross revenues and net earnings of Php6.13 billion in 2023 as dividend base, paving the way for a higher dividend rate declaration.

“Our remarkable income performance in 2023 set the stage for this higher dividend contribution to the national government, and this epitomizes not just financial success but our unwavering commitment to national development,” Chairman Tengco said.

The dividend declaration consists of Php3.06 billion or 50% of PAGCOR’s 2023 net earnings plus an advanced 25% or Php1.53 billion which may be applied to future dividend remittances.

The dividend check was received by Deputy National Treasurer Eduardo Anthony Mariño III during simple ceremonies at the new PAGCOR Executive Office in Pasay City.

Mariño said the higher remittance from PAGCOR would help set in motion the administration’s socioeconomic agenda as the country is coming from a challenging year where it found difficulty achieving growth targets due to inflation.

“Every peso of this latest remittance from PAGCOR is directly translatable to additional expenditure which can help accelerate growth. This would certainly empower the national government in initiating transformative change this year,” he explained.

The remittance by government owned and controlled corporations or GOCCs of at least 50 percent of their net earnings to the National Government is mandated under Republic Act (RA) No. 7656, otherwise known as the Dividends Law

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SOFTSWISS is Best Platform Solution in Asia

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SOFTSWISS is Best Platform Solution in Asia
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SOFTSWISS, an international tech company with over 15 years of experience in iGaming, celebrates its resounding success in Asia, triumphing in two categories at the Asia Gaming Awards. 

The Asia Gaming Awards convenes key stakeholders from the Asian gaming sector – operators, regulators, suppliers, and service providers – to celebrate achievements within the industry. In 2024, SOFTSWISS earned recognition in the categories of Best One-Stop Platform Solution and Best Affiliate Marketing Solution.

With over 15 years of experience in the iGaming industry, SOFTSWISS crafted a robust ecosystem of products that allows its clients to create an iGaming business from scratch. Having a complete range of products and solutions for online gaming and betting, SOFTSWISS also offers innovative tools for player engagement and a comprehensive system of services.

Over 860 brands employ SOFTSWISS’ software to provide an exceptional player experience to more than six million players from different regions all over the world. Notably, 80% of SOFTSWISS clients are satisfied with the company’s products and services, according to a survey conducted by the leading marketing agency Kantar.

Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS, shares his delight: “SOFTSWISS is proud to acquire the esteemed Best One-Stop Platform Solution Award, which testifies to the outstanding contributions of our company to the development of the Asian gaming industry. We express our earnest gratitude to our dedicated team for their tireless efforts and our valued clients for their trust, pivotal to our success.”

Another well-deserved award belongs to Affilka by SOFTSWISS, a modular and feature-rich software platform which helps manage, track, and analyse affiliate performance. 

According to Kantar’s survey, held at the end of 2023, Affilka’s customer satisfaction rate was 8.1 out of 10. At the same time, 97% of respondents expressed satisfaction with Affilka’s service.

Boasting a client’s portfolio of more than 320 iGaming brands in 2023, the affiliate marketing platform shows almost two times YoY growth in affiliate GGR.  

Anastasia Borovaya, Head of Affilka by SOFTSWISS, comments on the recent victory: “We are proud to achieve this recognition in the Asian gaming market. Our team puts a lot of effort into constantly evolving product performance. Let this accolade fuel our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence, driving us forward as we continue to serve our clients with the highest standards of quality and service.”

Since the beginning of the year SOFTSWISS has already gained such prestigious accolades as Responsible Gaming, Crypto Company, Platform Provider, Software Supplier, and others. The esteemed awards, namely IGA, GGA EMEA, SiGMA Eurasia, EGR Nordics, SiGMA Africa, Asia Gaming Awards stand as obvious recognition of SOFTSWISS’ significant contribution to the iGaming industry all over the world. 

 

About SOFTSWISS 

SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

 

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