Imagine: The year is 2002. You\u2019re walking from a stop after school, absolutely exhausted, until you arrive at a small shop tucked in the corner of a street. Smiling, you wave at the receptionist at his desk and plunk down in front of the PC he points at. As you launch your favorite game, your friends occupy the seats beside you one by one, laughing about that incident in Math class or stressing over the amount of homework. In a matter of minutes, you\u2019re all in a virtual sandy desert ruin, tense, locked, and loaded. Yells start to reverberate in the shop as some epic kills are made. Chaos ensues.
\nFor millions all over the world, these “LAN Parties” were an essential part of growing up\u2014among them, Turkey native Selcuk Atli. The video game enthusiast loved the closeness and banter of these gatherings, a sentiment that he carried even as developments in the gaming industry allowed for playing at a distance. As the mobile phone became increasingly sophisticated and accessible, he saw an opportunity to bring them back.
\n\u201c[In] late 2017, what I was thinking is, \u2018Why can\u2019t you do this on your smartphone? Because your smartphone is just as powerful as your computer like 3 years ago,\u201d he said. \u201cThe only thing that was really missing is high-quality, real-time multiplayer games that you can play at the same time with your friends, and we thought that was on the verge of happening.\u201d
\nThis eventually inspired Atli, along with Jason Liang and Jordan Howlett, to build Bunch, a video chat app that allows a group to talk to each other while playing games.
\nBunch’s Overlay feature allows users to see their friends on a video hovering over the interface. The feature is only available on Android so far, but upcoming updates include iOS compatibility and deeper integration with games being played\u2014like switching the camera over to whomever you’ve trained your crosshairs on while playing your favorite shooter, all the better to see their reaction when you pull off that headshot.
\nFunded by the likes of Tencent, Supercell, and Riot Games, users have over 20 games on the platform to choose from: including original, plug-and-play titles such as Mars Dash and Draw Party, to third-party favorites that require an external download such as Mario Kart, Fortnite, Minecraft, and even Monopoly.
\n\u201cWhen you look at the content experience on Bunch, it\u2019s a lot like a Sega or Nintendo,\u201d said Atli. \u201cIf you love Sonic, you buy a Sega. If you love Mario, you buy a Nintendo. And while you get this immediately lovable onboarding experience where you can play these games right away, in the long term, you stay on the console because of the third-party games.\u201d
\nAs people continue to distance themselves from each other due to the ongoing pandemic, platforms like Bunch have become even more important in creating and maintaining connections\u2014a virtual couch or computer shop where you have fun and stay close to the people that you love.
\nAs of March 22, its total number of game sessions and hangouts grew 50 times over the last two weeks, with the total time spent in hangouts growing by 25% day over day. And it\u2019s a diverse demographic that\u2019s enjoying the platform, composed of 62% female players and 75% of the user base outside the USA and Canada.
\nBunch has also enabled its users to connect in more unique ways, with Atli recounting a group that threw a video game birthday bash for their friend through the platform. And with the so-called new normal inculcating itself into our daily lives, he feels that such interactions will only persist over time.
\n\u201cBecause of COVID-19, people started looking for this kind of experience on their phone\u2026 they\u2019re looking for more meaningful ways to connect with each other, better than video chat,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd when you think about it, what\u2019s better than video chat? It\u2019s playing games while you video chat.”
\n", "content_text": "Imagine: The year is 2002. You\u2019re walking from a stop after school, absolutely exhausted, until you arrive at a small shop tucked in the corner of a street. Smiling, you wave at the receptionist at his desk and plunk down in front of the PC he points at. As you launch your favorite game, your friends occupy the seats beside you one by one, laughing about that incident in Math class or stressing over the amount of homework. In a matter of minutes, you\u2019re all in a virtual sandy desert ruin, tense, locked, and loaded. Yells start to reverberate in the shop as some epic kills are made. Chaos ensues.\nFor millions all over the world, these “LAN Parties” were an essential part of growing up\u2014among them, Turkey native Selcuk Atli. The video game enthusiast loved the closeness and banter of these gatherings, a sentiment that he carried even as developments in the gaming industry allowed for playing at a distance. As the mobile phone became increasingly sophisticated and accessible, he saw an opportunity to bring them back.\n\u201c[In] late 2017, what I was thinking is, \u2018Why can\u2019t you do this on your smartphone? Because your smartphone is just as powerful as your computer like 3 years ago,\u201d he said. \u201cThe only thing that was really missing is high-quality, real-time multiplayer games that you can play at the same time with your friends, and we thought that was on the verge of happening.\u201d\nGetting the gang together\nThis eventually inspired Atli, along with Jason Liang and Jordan Howlett, to build Bunch, a video chat app that allows a group to talk to each other while playing games. \nBunch’s Overlay feature allows users to see their friends on a video hovering over the interface. The feature is only available on Android so far, but upcoming updates include iOS compatibility and deeper integration with games being played\u2014like switching the camera over to whomever you’ve trained your crosshairs on while playing your favorite shooter, all the better to see their reaction when you pull off that headshot. \nFunded by the likes of Tencent, Supercell, and Riot Games, users have over 20 games on the platform to choose from: including original, plug-and-play titles such as Mars Dash and Draw Party, to third-party favorites that require an external download such as Mario Kart, Fortnite, Minecraft, and even Monopoly.\n\u201cWhen you look at the content experience on Bunch, it\u2019s a lot like a Sega or Nintendo,\u201d said Atli. \u201cIf you love Sonic, you buy a Sega. If you love Mario, you buy a Nintendo. And while you get this immediately lovable onboarding experience where you can play these games right away, in the long term, you stay on the console because of the third-party games.\u201d\nSocial upgrades\nAs people continue to distance themselves from each other due to the ongoing pandemic, platforms like Bunch have become even more important in creating and maintaining connections\u2014a virtual couch or computer shop where you have fun and stay close to the people that you love. \nAs of March 22, its total number of game sessions and hangouts grew 50 times over the last two weeks, with the total time spent in hangouts growing by 25% day over day. And it\u2019s a diverse demographic that\u2019s enjoying the platform, composed of 62% female players and 75% of the user base outside the USA and Canada.\nBunch has also enabled its users to connect in more unique ways, with Atli recounting a group that threw a video game birthday bash for their friend through the platform. And with the so-called new normal inculcating itself into our daily lives, he feels that such interactions will only persist over time.\n\u201cBecause of COVID-19, people started looking for this kind of experience on their phone\u2026 they\u2019re looking for more meaningful ways to connect with each other, better than video chat,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd when you think about it, what\u2019s better than video chat? It\u2019s playing games while you video chat.”", "date_published": "2020-05-14T12:55:59+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-05-14T12:55:59+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Atli", "Bunch", "COVID-19", "gamers", "Jason Liang", "Jordan Howlett", "LAN Parties", "smartphone", "Sparktionary" ], "summary": "Bunch on bringing people together through games during the pandemic" }, { "id": "/?p=275056", "url": "/sparktionary/2020/01/24/275056/sparkup-sparktionary-four-chinoy-business-practices-to-guide-you-into-the-year-of-the-rat/", "title": "Four Chinoy business practices to guide you into the Year of the Rat", "content_html": "Tomorrow marks a very important day for the Chinese community: the start of a new year, specifically: the Year of the Rat.
\nConsidered one of the most auspicious signs for business due to its wit and perception, the Rat heralds what is widely expected to be a \u00a0great year for entrepreneurs.
\nIn celebration of Chinese New Year, we asked young Chinoys to share some cultural business traits that they expect will carry them into a prosperous new year.
\nWhen the Spanish started colonizing the country, the Chinese community faced much oppression in the form of various restrictions including taxes and predetermined residential areas. Through these experiences, Chinoys learned to succeed by making the most of what they have.
\n\u201cFor me, that\u2019s really sticking to your roots, that you don\u2019t get swayed\u2026 to gain brownie points if your business doesn\u2019t need it,\u201d said Rebecca Lee, social media analyst from an e-commerce company.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s one thing that I want to emulate\u2026 remembering that sometimes people may want to withhold things from you but that\u2019s not the end of the world.\u201d
\nGiven these historical limitations, Chinoys also learned to save up– a habit that they carried with them even into prosperity. Since childhood, Kimberly Tiamlee, finance officer of her family’s construction business and co-owner of Pulseras ni Kim and Makers Caf\u00e9, had been trained to be frugal in her day to day life.
\n\u201cI remember that when I started working, I would bring a packed lunch,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was really important for me to do that because little things, they add up. A lot of people are excited for payday because they get to spend their money, but it\u2019s different for me.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019ve worked in corporate before and one the stark similarities I noticed between [non-Chinoys] and [Chinoys] is how we viewed money as a means, not an end,\u201d said Lorina Tan, business unit head for baby care brand Tiny Buds. \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual for co-workers to splurge on paycheck days while the Chinese people I\u2019ve worked with tend to be more reserved with their money.\u201d
\nMost Chinoy families run their own businesses, constantly finding ways to get the biggest bang out of their buck.
\nIn this day and age, being an entrepreneur doesn\u2019t necessarily translate to doing it full-time. Lee cites childhood friends who are able to juggle employment and operation of their own small businesses.
\n\u201cTechnology also affords us that kind of capability to not only be an employee but also have a small business that you grow from scratch,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can be a good employee and have side hustles.\u201d
\nAs entrepreneurs, Chinoys put high importance in the value of mianzi or \u201cface\u201d, which roughly translates to trust, honor, or dignity. This means upholding your image and trustworthiness through your words and actions, and following through with your obligations.
\nTan learned the delicate dynamics of \u201cface\u201d through business deals. \u201cIn the beginning, as a new entrepreneur with a corporate background, there were times when I wanted everything on paper. Thankfully, my mom was there to guide me on when this is appropriate and when it could even harm a business relationship.”
\n\u201cNow, I\u2019m proud to say some of our closest partners are people we have a genuine friendship with,\u201d she said. \u201cIt makes work so much more fulfilling to be able to do what you love with people you genuinely trust and care about. No piece of paper could ever do that.\u201d
\n", "content_text": "Tomorrow marks a very important day for the Chinese community: the start of a new year, specifically: the Year of the Rat.\nConsidered one of the most auspicious signs for business due to its wit and perception, the Rat heralds what is widely expected to be a \u00a0great year for entrepreneurs.\nIn celebration of Chinese New Year, we asked young Chinoys to share some cultural business traits that they expect will carry them into a prosperous new year.\n1. Diskarte or street smarts\nWhen the Spanish started colonizing the country, the Chinese community faced much oppression in the form of various restrictions including taxes and predetermined residential areas. Through these experiences, Chinoys learned to succeed by making the most of what they have.\n\u201cFor me, that\u2019s really sticking to your roots, that you don\u2019t get swayed\u2026 to gain brownie points if your business doesn\u2019t need it,\u201d said Rebecca Lee, social media analyst from an e-commerce company.\n\u201cThat\u2019s one thing that I want to emulate\u2026 remembering that sometimes people may want to withhold things from you but that\u2019s not the end of the world.\u201d\n2. Frugality\nGiven these historical limitations, Chinoys also learned to save up– a habit that they carried with them even into prosperity. Since childhood, Kimberly Tiamlee, finance officer of her family’s construction business and co-owner of Pulseras ni Kim and Makers Caf\u00e9, had been trained to be frugal in her day to day life.\n\u201cI remember that when I started working, I would bring a packed lunch,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was really important for me to do that because little things, they add up. A lot of people are excited for payday because they get to spend their money, but it\u2019s different for me.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019ve worked in corporate before and one the stark similarities I noticed between [non-Chinoys] and [Chinoys] is how we viewed money as a means, not an end,\u201d said Lorina Tan, business unit head for baby care brand Tiny Buds. \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual for co-workers to splurge on paycheck days while the Chinese people I\u2019ve worked with tend to be more reserved with their money.\u201d\n3. Entrepreneurial mindset\nMost Chinoy families run their own businesses, constantly finding ways to get the biggest bang out of their buck.\nIn this day and age, being an entrepreneur doesn\u2019t necessarily translate to doing it full-time. Lee cites childhood friends who are able to juggle employment and operation of their own small businesses.\n\u201cTechnology also affords us that kind of capability to not only be an employee but also have a small business that you grow from scratch,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can be a good employee and have side hustles.\u201d\n4. The value of \u201cface\u201d\nAs entrepreneurs, Chinoys put high importance in the value of mianzi or \u201cface\u201d, which roughly translates to trust, honor, or dignity. This means upholding your image and trustworthiness through your words and actions, and following through with your obligations.\nTan learned the delicate dynamics of \u201cface\u201d through business deals. \u201cIn the beginning, as a new entrepreneur with a corporate background, there were times when I wanted everything on paper. Thankfully, my mom was there to guide me on when this is appropriate and when it could even harm a business relationship.”\n\u201cNow, I\u2019m proud to say some of our closest partners are people we have a genuine friendship with,\u201d she said. \u201cIt makes work so much more fulfilling to be able to do what you love with people you genuinely trust and care about. No piece of paper could ever do that.\u201d", "date_published": "2020-01-24T10:50:45+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-01-24T10:50:45+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Chinese New Year 2020", "Year of the Rat", "Sparktionary" ], "summary": "With Chinese New Year just around the corner, these Chinoy entrepreneurs and employees share important business habits to help you make the most of the (hopefully) prosperous year ahead. " }, { "id": "/?p=198474", "url": "/sparktionary/2018/11/12/198474/sparktionary-data-scientist/", "title": "Sparktionary: Data Scientist", "content_html": "\nGeneral Manager (APAC) for ASG Technologies Praveen Kumar explains what a data scientist is and breaks down the business imperative of citizen data scientists.
\nInterview: Anna Gabriela Mogato
\nVideo and Editing: Paolo Lacambra Lopez