Tencent-backed short video app Kuaishou launches mini game similar to WeChat’s offering – SCMP
What happened: Chinese short video platform Kuaishou has launched a feature allowing users to play video games within its app, negating the need to download them to their phones. So far there is only one game available within Kuaishou’s app. The new feature allows users to share their scores with other Kuaishou gamers. The mini-game was reported earlier this week by some users of the platform, though it currently appears to be under testing for selected users.
Why it’s important: Chinese tech companies are competing to become all-in-one entertainment platforms, aiming to keep users within their ecosystems for as long as possible. Kuaishou follows WeChat in launching its mini-game feature, the latter company including the ability to play in-app games last year. However, WeChat’s reach extends much further than just entertainment. It incorporates services including food delivery, bill payments, and travel bookings, among others. Earlier this year, Alibaba also added mini-games to its Taobao marketplace.