Applications
Turner to launch online game with South Korea’s BlueArk starring Toonix
MUMBAI: Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. has partnered with leading South Korean game developer, BlueArk Global, to create a multi-platform social game starring Toonix, Cartoon Network‘s loveable online avatars.
Quirky and hugely entertaining, players or “planeteers” will go forth with the mission to save the Toonix universe by transforming lifeless planets into flourishing, sustainable communities.
Fully customizable, planeteers can unleash their creativity to design their unique Toonix worlds, while building rich reserves of natural resources and volunteering for mini missions to rescue other Toonix. The cross-platform game will be available in Asia-Pacific on mobiles (iOS and Android), tablets and computers.
Turner‘s Associate Director of Interactive Media Mark Counsell said, “Toonix has really taken off across Asia Pacific as Cartoon Network‘s fans love the ability to express themselves via their own personalized avatars. Our partnership with BlueArk takes the Toonix experience to an inter-galactic level with the launch of the first Toonix digital universe.”
The game is set for launch in late 2012 and its official name will be decided through a regional contest that runs until the end of June. Cartoon Network fans have been central to Toonix‘s success and can continue to be part of its development by logging on to cartoonnetworkasia.com.
The new social game complements other Toonix initiatives in development including mobile applications and original video content, set to debut on Cartoon Network later in the year.
BlueArk‘s CEO Yangre Yim is equally excited by the potential of Toonix in the social gaming space.
“We are thrilled to partner with Turner and work with this amazing digitally-inspired character. We will look to harness all the creative talent that exists here in South Korea to produce a truly next-generation, multi-platform gaming experience,” Yim said.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
