Nokia reaches agreement with Tencent to replace Xbox LIVE with QQ Game Hall

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

Nokia has reached an agreement with Tencent, China's top online social portal / network, for the company to provide their multiplayer gaming service QQ Game Hall for Windows Phone "Tango" handsets, according to a report by the Shanghai Daily. This service will replace Microsoft's Xbox LIVE, enabling access for consumers to connect with friends and play online titles (think: Apple's Game Center).

"It will allow users to log in through their QQ accounts and find their QQ friends immediately."

The above quote is according to an unidentified source. Tencent's gaming platform, has recently surpassed 200 million registered users, but Microsoft hasn't released much information detailing "Tango", which makes MWC 2012 an event to look out for. While Chinese consumers aren't able to download apps and games from the Marketplace, developers are able (and encouraged) to submit content. 

Via: Eastday

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

28 Comments
  • Interesting. Will WP still be WP if lacks Xbox LIVE support? And, Chinese can't get access to the apps? So what are MSFT doing with the devs in China?
  • I think it's important to evaluate the fact that all this services are outright blocked in China. This isn't a choice Microsoft is making so lightly. Think of it like this, there are roughly 957M cellphone users in China and 17% are on 3G alone. This leaves LOTS of room for Microsoft to compete along with Nokia of course. Would Windows Phone still be Windows Phone if Microsoft refuses to deploy WP7 because they can't put FB, Twitter and Xbox Live? As of now, every WP user should pay attention to China. Google and Apple are eyeing this market as well.
  • I'm not suprised, Xbox Live on windows phone should be called "Xbox" because there are no real multiplayer Xbox titled games...
  • They're coming
  • yea carcossines was announced with multiplayer *hoping for cross platform mp but that is hoping for to much*.
     
    will be a great turn based game so it sends the request for the other player to do the move which was the original idea for it.
  • yea carcossines was announced with multiplayer *hoping for cross platform mp but that is hoping for to much*.
     
    will be a great turn based game so it sends the request for the other player to do the move which was the original idea for it.
  • Live is not only about multiplayer gaming, it's a whole ecosystem for gamers, this is not the 90s, being connected to a service doesn't mean just shoot each other.
  • I don't like the word, "replace" ...
  • That is the thing I read that made my heart drop. But then it also is China..... Where everything is half ass backwards to appease the imperial clowns running the joint.
  • The bottom line is that it sells WP7 devices which is an OS. They said Tango was a lower end device so if that group uses QQ the why would you not allow it? I'm sure it's not integrated, its probably an app and Xbox will still be native to wp7
  • Replace? Xbox LIVE will be taken out? Wtf, that's like a major point for Windows Phones.
  • It's China, dude. Compromises need to be made if you want to make inroads on that market.
  • It is China they have different law of government and Microsoft just don't want to fight with them
  • .....who is this China guy anyways.....=P
  • ..right!?!
  • Racist!
  • Thing is, MS couldn't reach an agreement with China to enable Live over there, don't stress... It has little to do with our system.
  • As long as WP7 becomes a hit in China so that the price of phones will come down, then who cares if X-Box Live isn't on their phones.
  • I think this changes the ball game in china
  • Xbox and all other games consoles are banned in China, thats why Xbox Live is removed.
  • Just buy an Xbox people lol
  • China has to many people so it's good to agree with them sell WP like crazy ther and lets laugh at apple who's getn hated on by china
  • really smart of microsoft sense xbl is blocked in china anyways so why not give them the service they all use anyways
  • Exactly.
  • Wait, is this Live removal just for China? Like how other countries can't use Zune pass so they use Nokia Music. If so, then that would make sense, replacing it all across the board? No sense at all.
  • No, just for China as the Chinese government has banned all consoles since 2000 but PC gaming is thriving in internet cafe's etc. So it makes sense to replace Live with their own soclial gaming network. The same way that facebook and bing has been replaced by their local versions.
  • I think this is only in CHINA . They're going to replace the Xbox Live in CHINA. 'Cause if they replace Xbox Live on the WP7, they're going to lose a lot of customers.
  • as stated this is only in china as xbl is banned there so no point in pointing that service on the other hand if you put on a service that is allowed with there games that are allowed you have something there.
     
    To them this is there xbl service as it has 200 million people signed up a ton of games that run on it that they could get developers to port over.
    In my eyes this is the best thing that could have happened in the china market sense where it will be built in *probable with there verison of facebook and twitter* it is there insentive for the device as xbox live is in the rest of the world