Tencent and Nintendo will hold a press conference on August 2 in Shanghai about the China launch of gaming console Nintendo Switch, Tencent confirmed to TechNode on Thursday.
Why it matters: The console, which sold more than 32 million units since its launch two years ago, could help Tencent diversify its revenues, which took a hit in 2018 due to regulatory changes and a nine-month suspension of game licensing.
Details: The press conference coincides with the first day of China Joy, the country’s largest gaming expo.
- Company spokesmen scheduled to appear include Steven Ma, senior vice president of Tencent and Satoru Shibata, an executive at Nintendo, according to a tweet from Daniel Ahmad, an analyst at game research company Niko Partners.
- Tencent began posting on its newly opened official Weibo account for Nintendo Switch on Wednesday. One post includes a silhouette of Nintendo’s famous character Mario with the caption, “He is coming to Shanghai.”
- Tencent was given green light by authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong in April to distribute Nintendo together with a test version of “New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.”