Alibaba to get its mobile gaming on, report says

Alibaba, the e-commerce company in China that has established itself as one of the country's most successful online firms, is headed to mobile, according to a new report.

Alibaba plans to launch a mobile-gaming service that could be integrated into both its messaging application and its e-commerce service, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's plans. Those who don't want to be tied to another app to play games will be able to access a standalone mobile-gaming app from the company, the Journal's sources say.

China is a hotly contested market for online and mobile gaming. And right now, Tencent Holdings is a major player there. Alibaba must now face down Tencent and establish its own services as a viable contender.

For now, details are slim on Alibaba's plans for mobile gaming, but the Journal's sources expect more details to be announced soon.