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China suspends Tencent from updating or releasing apps

The reason behind the halt on Tencent's app business is currently unknown.

Donovan Erskine

November 24, 2021 9:40 AM

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Tencent is easily one of the most powerful and influential companies in the video game world, with large stakes of ownership in several major gaming companies around the globe. That said, the company is certainly not without its fair share of controversy and issues. Now, China has temporarily blocked Tencent from making any updates to its existing mobile apps, or launching new ones.

It was first reported by The South China Morning Post that Tencent has been suspended from further updates or releases of apps. According to the report, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology informed app store operators to take action against applications published by Tencent. Oddly enough, it’s not currently clear what caused China to drop the suspension on one of the biggest names in gaming. To that same note, it’s also unknown how long this suspension will last.

Tencent shared a statement in which the company said that it’s fully cooperating with authorities on the investigation. “We are continuously working to enhance user protection features within our apps, and also have regular cooperation with relevant government agencies to ensure regulatory compliance. Our apps remain functional and available for download.” Though Tencent is currently barred from updating its more than 70 published apps, users are still free to download and use them for the foreseeable future.

We could potentially see further action taken against Tencent following the current investigation into the company. Tencent has seen heavy criticism for issues surrounding its technology and privacy concerns, including government bodies in China. It’s likely that this suspension ties back to those concerns in some way. Just earlier this month, Tencent posted some slow growth for its Q3 earnings, primarily due to government regulation. For future updates on the business dealings of Tencent, stick with us here on Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_