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Tencent makes 'substantial investment' in retro streaming service Antstream

Chinese tech and game company Tencent has made a "substantial investment" in retro streaming platform, Antstream Arcade.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

July 23, 2019

1 Min Read
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Chinese tech and game company Tencent has made a "substantial investment" in retro streaming platform, Antstream Arcade. 

Although the size of the Series A investment wasn't disclosed, it's still a notable deal for the platform given Tencent's status as one of most high-profile players in China. 

Antstream itself is being pitched as the world's first retro game subscription service, and plans to offer over 2000 titles across a range of devices for a monthly fee. 

Publishers including Codemasters, SNK, Data East, and Arc System Works have already pledged their support, and will bring popular franchises like Double Dragon, Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, Gridrunner, and Metal Slug to the platform. 

"Antstream's snackable format allows gamers to ‘pick up and play’ classic retro games on demand, interact with social challenges on the platform and compete with friends," reads a press release.

"It offers retro fans the ultimate arcade experience with a back catalog of games available via streaming; eliminating the need for separate vintage gaming hardware and opening up access to long forgotten or previously unobtainable games."

The service was initially funded via a Kickstarter campaign, and soft launched in Europe earlier this month. It's expected to arrive in the U.S. towards the end of 2019.

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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