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Why a Chinese Chemicals Company Wants To Invest in Gaming Apps

Why a Chinese Chemicals Company Wants To Invest in Gaming Apps

(Bloomberg) -- If you have young kids, you may already know the mobile game Talking Tom. What you might not know is that in January a Chinese hydrogen peroxide company announced plans to buy the maker of the app for $1 billion. This is just one of several similar deals. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Adam Satariano and Aki Ito take a look at why a slew of unlikely Chinese buyers - mining and construction firms, even a poultry company - are buying up mobile gaming businesses. This search takes Adam to the home of Lisa Pan, a young Beijing investor who has made millions from gaming investments and is now helping a Chinese chemicals company make the same leap. Is this a smart business strategy to adapt to a new economy, or is it a sign of a bubble?

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To contact the authors of this story: Adam Satariano in London at asatariano1@bloomberg.net, Aki Ito in San Francisco at aito16@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Pia Gadkari at pgadkari@bloomberg.net, Liz Smith Magnus Henriksson