
TOKYO -- Chinese internet conglomerate Tencent Holdings has launched a string of services to support Japanese companies entering businesses related to the virtual world, known as the metaverse.
In an online event on Tuesday, Tencent's cloud computing unit said it will start offering virtual humans -- avatars that have Japanese-language capabilities and can play roles such as a shop staffer on an e-commerce site or anchor on a weather channel. The company also introduced a rendering service for creating virtual models of real places that can be used for games, online tourism services, an augmented reality (AR) advertising service and 3D signs.