TikTok has reportedly kicked off testing to let users play games on its video-sharing app in Vietnam.
Popularity has ever evaded TikTok. The short video platform is much loved across the globe, with people irrespective of gender, age and economic status having flocked to the platform to taste their moments of spotlight. It’s all about living the moment and TikTok has been providing fans with truckloads of fun. It has even spurred many competitors to churn out similar apps, and they too are looking to grab a bite of the popularity pie.
The latest from the TikTok stables is its planned foray into gaming territory. Sending out feelers that it could be eyeing something big, the brains behind the app have logged on to testing mode in the gaming arena. A Reuters report has pointed out TikTok has been conducting tests to let users play games on its video-sharing app in Vietnam.
TikTok and its Vietnam experiment
But why Vietnam, you tend to ask? Vietnam is an extremely tech savvy nation. Statistics point out that 70 percent of Vietnamese citizens fall under the 35 age mark, and this young generation is totally into social media platforms such as TikTok, besides spending time on Facebook and YouTube. So the Vietnam experiment by TikTok could be seen as a wise move.
Considering that such a move could also help TikTok up its potential to earn more in terms of advertising revenue and also the amount of time users spent on the app, the testing mode in Vietnam needs to be seen as part of a larger plan intended at a global roll out. The company would however require a licence to feature games on its platform in Vietnam, as the country restricts games that have content depicting gambling, violence, and those of a sexual nature.
TikTok has more than 1 billion monthly users
TikTok, in case you aren’t aware, is the world’s most popular app with more than 1 billion monthly active users. It needs to be expected that ByteDance, the China-based company that owns TikTok, will bring in gaming opens more widely in Southeast Asia by the third quarter of this year, if one goes by the report. It is being said that the company has tested HTML5 games to be brought into the app through tie-ups with third-party game developers.
It is also not yet known as to what plans the company has in terms of rolling out gaming in markets outside of Southeast Asia. Currently, the app enables streaming of games in regions where users cannot play games within the TikTok app.
When it brings in the gaming feature, TikTok might start with minigames that have simple game play mechanisms and a short playing time. However, it needs to be foreseen that the app could be looking for a wider and larger canvas.
