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[Kdad]

The US just added Tencent — which backs US startups — to its list of 'Chinese military' companies | TechCrunch

While the Chinese internet giant Tencent is best known for its super app WeChat, it’s also a major investor in U.S. tech companies and startups. Some of

techcrunch.com

The listing serves as a warning from the U.S. about companies it claims are involved in Chinese “military-civil fusion” efforts, according to a 2022 DoD press release. The listing has no legal consequences beyond barring U.S. government contractors from doing business with Tencent starting in 2026, according to U.S. law.

If Tencent isn’t able to get itself off the list — like smartphone maker Xiaomi successfully did in 2021 — it could harm its investing activities in the U.S., with founders wary of accepting funds from a company officially designated as linked to the Chinese military, even without public evidence.

There’s also a risk that this measure results in pressure for further sanctions against Tencent from other parts of the U.S. government like the Treasury Department, Reuters reported.

Tencent in videogames

Every game company that Tencent has invested in

A quick reference of how China's largest tech conglomerate has quietly expanded into videogames.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[LectureMaster]

Yes, military, but in this style.

 

[killatopak]

Yes, military, but in this style.

Plot twist. That's a guy.

 

[YCoCg]

But if they go after Tencent they'll go after Epic, and if they go after Epic they'll go after Unreal Engine, and thus it means they'll be going after the gaming industry!

/s

 

[Herbspiceguy]

Tencent is the largest videogames company atm. Sounds more like the context is trade wars. They're setting the chess pieces to protect the market.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Tencent is the largest videogames company atm.

Nobody in the US government gives a shit about nerds looking at pixels.

 

[Hudo]

But if they go after Tencent they'll go after Epic, and if they go after Epic they'll go after Unreal Engine, and thus it means they'll be going after the gaming industry!

/s

Win-win

 

[Skifi28]

Yes, military, but in this style.

Finally found an army I'd willingly join.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

 

[Black_Stride]

Tencent is the largest videogames company atm. Sounds more like the context is trade wars. They're setting the chess pieces to protect the market.

These "blocks" are to stop US Government institutions from doing business with these firms.
The videogame aspects of Tencent are near totally irreverent in this case.
But their AI, cloud computing, automation, e-commerce platforms and other online services are what would worry the government.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Good

 

[Herbspiceguy]

These "blocks" are to stop US Government institutions from doing business with these firms.
The videogame aspects of Tencent are near totally irreverent in this case.
But their AI, cloud computing, automation, e-commerce platforms and other online services are what would worry the government.

Setting the chess pieces = taking the first steps towards.
Their "AI, cloud computing, automation, e-commerce" are intertwined with their videogames.
Tencent is also known to have kernel level anti-cheat through their games.

 

[Black_Stride]

Setting the chess pieces = taking the first steps towards.
Their "AI, cloud computing, automation, e-commerce" are intertwined with their videogames.
Tencent is also known to have kernel level anti-cheat through their games.

Are you assuming Government agencies are buying or even thinking of buying Tencent videogames?
This has nothing to do with their videogames, it about all their other ventures.
I doubt the policy makers even know Tencent is "the largest videogames company atm" thats NOT on their radar.



P.S How are their automation services intertwined with their videogames?

 

[deriks]

But if they go after Tencent they'll go after Epic, and if they go after Epic they'll go after Unreal Engine, and thus it means they'll be going after the gaming industry!

/s

Somebody needs to stop this "only one engine" trend
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Hudo]

Somebody needs to stop this "only one engine" trend
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I had actually hoped (and I am still hoping, tbh) that Valve would properly publish Source 2.

 

[spons]

Beyond retarded, but I suppose that if you can't beat them, you regulate them.

 

[Herbspiceguy]

Are you assuming Government agencies are buying or even thinking of buying Tencent videogames?
This has nothing to do with their videogames, it about all their other ventures.
I doubt the policy makers even know Tencent is "the largest videogames company atm" thats NOT on their radar.



P.S How are their automation services intertwined with their videogames?

No, I'm assuming they want to protect the US market, that market (big tech) lobbies have a huge influence on politics and this could be a first step done in the context of US-China trade war/relations.

 

[Thebonehead]

Plot twist. That's a guy.

Did you just assume they/thems identity?

 

[Kerotan]

Nobody in the US government gives a shit about nerds looking at pixels.

For the first time ever with Elon that'll probably change.

 

[Black_Stride]

No, I'm assuming they want to protect the US market, that market (big tech) lobbies have a huge influence on politics and this could be a first step done in the context of US-China trade war/relations.

So it has nothing to do with their videogames.

Yes of course blocking government agencies from using certain companies tech is a trade war move, like it literally is just that.
It would be like you reacting to someone getting punched by saying " OMG this looks like a chess move leading into an act of violence" no shit bro a punch is an act of violence.
US government is like the biggest spender in the US, blocking it from using certain companies tech is a hard move and leads to trickly down where even private companies stop using that tech especially if they have any government contracts.
Its not a chess move.....it just is what it is.




The first part of your post:

Tencent is the largest videogames company atm.

Is totally irrelevent to the news at hand as this isnt even gonna affect Tencents videogame departments or investments.
They will continue to acquire stake in studios and will continue to open studios in the west.

 

[deriks]

I had actually hoped (and I am still hoping, tbh) that Valve would properly publish Source 2.

Maybe they will, or maybe they will finally know how to count to 3 and launch a new Source with a free edition for indies

 

[Three]

So it has nothing to do with their videogames.

Yes of course blocking government agencies from using certain companies tech is a trade war move, like it literally is just that.
It would be like you reacting to someone getting punched by saying " OMG this looks like a chess move leading into an act of violence" no shit bro a punch is an act of violence.
US government is like the biggest spender in the US, blocking it from using certain companies tech is a hard move and leads to trickly down where even private companies stop using that tech especially if they have any government contracts.
Its not a chess move.....it just is what it is.




The first part of your post:

Tencent is the largest videogames company atm.

Is totally irrelevent to the news at hand as this isnt even gonna affect Tencents videogame departments or investments.
They will continue to acquire stake in studios and will continue to open studios in the west.

They pretty much did the same thing by killing Huawei and attempted it with TikTok. It's a trade war disguised as "national security". Meanwhile all the US companies were found to be spying on citizens around the world with PRISM and nobody sanctioned them in any way.

 

[jm89]

Meanwhile all the US companies were found to be spying on citizens around the world with PRISM and nobody sanctioned them in any way.

One rule for us one rule for them. Crazy how shit like this gets hand waved away.

 

[Black_Stride]

They pretty much did the same thing by killing Huawei and attempted it with TikTok. It's a trade war disguised as "national security".

True.
Its the framing that Herbspiceguy put it, like the US govt is going after Tencents videogames as some sort of secret chess move.
The videogames arent the focus of this, they likely arent even being factored at all and probably wont even be affected.
Its everything else that Tencent is involved in, once the US govt blocks agencies, then pretty much anyone working with those agencies also stops using those things, and that leads to more companies not using thing and eventually said thing just vanishes.

Meanwhile all the US companies were found to be spying on citizens around the world with PRISM and nobody sanctioned them in any way.

Selective outrage i guess.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

For the first time ever with Elon that'll probably change.

"Fuck peace talks with Ukraine, we got some D4 grinding to do".

 

[DevilHunterX0]

They pretty much did the same thing by killing Huawei and attempted it with TikTok. It's a trade war disguised as "national security". Meanwhile all the US companies were found to be spying on citizens around the world with PRISM and nobody sanctioned them in any way.

 

[Orbital2060]

 

[Kerotan]

"Fuck peace talks with Ukraine, we got some D4 grinding to do".

Literally if you offered him a chance to succeed in his favourite MMO or help world peace he'd choose the MMO.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

It's funny that they never mention the links between Hollywood and the Chinese Film Group. I wonder why.

 

[hemo memo]

They pretty much did the same thing by killing Huawei and attempted it with TikTok. It's a trade war disguised as "national security". Meanwhile all the US companies were found to be spying on citizens around the world with PRISM and nobody sanctioned them in any way.

China views the US the same way the US views China. They are two sides of the same coin.

 

[poodaddy]

Fuck CCP and Tencent.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Literally if you offered him a chance to succeed in his favourite MMO or help world peace he'd choose the MMO.

 

[PeteBull]

Yes, military, but in this style.

 

[PeteBull]

Its all good, guys, us westerners got beauty recruiter in the game too, topnotch western big budget AAA game at that, just look at that fine female specimen:

 

[Trilobit]

I expect Tencent to aggressively push soft soyboy game characters on games aimed at the US audience.

Yes, military, but in this style.

It's like looking at China next to their little buddy North Korea:

 

[Kdad]

Tencent is the largest videogames company atm. Sounds more like the context is trade wars. They're setting the chess pieces to protect the market.

They own 40% of Epic. Unreal is used by the military and other forces.
Perhaps there is a vector there to be worried about from a US p.o.v.

https://www.unrealengine.com/es-ES/blog/soartech-partnership-government-military-applications

https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/spotlights/lockheed-martin-engages-unreal-engine-for-aerospace-simulation-r-d

https://www.halldale.com/defence/17240-unreal-engine-officially-certified-by-us-air-force

etc etc...

 

[Kerotan]

And anyway if we get world peace Activision have no new materiel for the cod campaigns.

 

[HogIsland]

Free trade for life ... until another country outcompetes you

 

[DeepEnigma]

 

[poppabk]

Nobody in the US government gives a shit about nerds looking at pixels.

Lobbyists tell them what they should give a shit about though.

 

[Laptop1991]

It's about the money and control again as usual, unless i see Tencent invading the world in the near future lol, i think this is nonsense, although they should make good games about war, i like quite a few of them.

 

[OuterLimits]

Free trade for life ... until another country outcompetes you

China certainly doesn't practice free trade. Many U.S. companies are banned or face strict restriction operating within their country. Apparently the U.S. should be the only country in the world completely opening up their market to unrestricted imports while most others practice varying degree of protectionism.

 

[Days like these...]

China views the US the same way the US views China. They are two sides of the same coin.

China didn't ban Apple from selling Iphones in China. Huawei for brief moment had become the #1 cell phone maker in the world surpassing Samsung then the ban. Perfect timing on the part of the US government

 

[Kdad]

China didn't ban Apple from selling Iphones in China. Huawei for brief moment had become the #1 cell phone maker in the world surpassing Samsung then the ban. Perfect timing on the part of the US government

Huawei has been seen as a bad actor for 20+ years, it isn't like they haven't been on western government radar before their consumer smartphone business took off.
See Nortel in the 1990/2000s for instance

 

[Starhowl]

Watch this crazy trick, with which you can get rid of every competition!

 

[ExtendEmbraceExtinguish]

Nobody in the US government gives a shit about nerds looking at pixels.

If it has ties to tech and market dominance regarding a growing sector with potential soft power. They will. Also protecting western companies.

Whoever dominates tech runs the world.

Tip kids there is a cycle: new entrants copy, protect, cheat then innovate and when they feel secure open to full competition and the waning power reverts.

 

[Days like these...]

Huawei has been seen as a bad actor for 20+ years, it isn't like they haven't been on western government radar before their consumer smartphone business took off.
See Nortel in the 1990/2000s for instance

"Bad actor" and the US didn't care till they became the #1 cellphone maker in the world then suddenly the deal with AT&T fell through and they got banned. Also their 5G equipment is used all over the world no one else seems to be clutching their pearls and the governments that are replacing their Huawei 5G networks is because of US pressure.

 

[Randall365]

Elon will veto it when he takes charge

 

[Hudo]

China didn't ban Apple from selling Iphones in China

Wasn't/Isn't part of the reason why China is a bit more "lenient" because of the whole technology transfer stuff that basically hands the technology over to the Chinese?

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Its all good, guys, us westerners got beauty recruiter in the game too, topnotch western big budget AAA game at that, just look at that fine female specimen: