TikTok, the popular short-form video sharing platform, is planning to make its entry into the gaming world.
Its parent company, ByteDance is reportedly testing in-app video games among users under the age of 35 in Vietnam, according to a report from Reuters citing four sources familiar with the matter.
By adding games to the platform, TikTok, which has over 1 billion monthly active users, is looking to boost its revenue via in-game ads as well as increase the number of times users engage on the app.
The video-sharing service will likely use ByteDance’s library of games for its in-app games, beginning with simpler gaming mechanics and short game times and later expanding to more ambitious titles.
A TikTok representative confirmed to Reuters that it has been testing HTML5 minigames through third-party game developers and studios such as Zynga Inc., but declined to comment on testing games in Vietnam or its future plans for gaming.
“We’re always looking at ways to enrich our platform and regularly test new features and integrations that bring value to our community,” said a company representative in a statement to Reuters.
Reuters’ sources say TikTok plans to test out games in more parts of Southeast Asia in the third quarter of 2022. However, it is unknown if the games will be rolled out to TikTok users outside that region.
