KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — What began as a viral online trend has now sparked concern across Malaysia, as TikTok’s Player Knockout (PK) Battles are drawing children and teenagers into addictive behaviours, including spending large sums of money and skipping school just to participate or watch.
PK Battles — real-time, head-to-head competitions between streamers — have taken off in the country, with local influencers and even religious figures joining the craze but as reports of addiction and overspending among youth mount, parents, teachers, and even government officials are sounding the alarm.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) recently announced it would be meeting with TikTok’s management to address the growing backlash. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed the ministry is investigating complaints, particularly those involving children making in-app purchases to send digital gifts during these live battles.
What are PK Battles?
PK Battles are a format where two streamers face off in real-time, with viewers determining the winner by sending virtual “gifts,” which have real monetary value. Once both streamers agree to a PK, their live streams are merged, allowing audiences from both sides to tune in simultaneously.
The “battle” could involve singing, dancing, mimicking expressions, doing push-ups, or just chatting. The loser, often chosen based on who gets fewer gifts, must perform a lighthearted punishment.
Origin of PK Battles
The term “PK” originated in gaming culture, short for “Player Kill,” used in MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, Lineage. Star Wars, Ultima Online and more where players could engage in PvP (player versus player) combat.
PK battles in livestreaming were first popularized on Chinese platforms such as Inke, which integrated viewer gifting and audience engagement tools. The format quickly caught on across other platforms including Meet.me, Live.me, and eventually TikTok and Douyin, where it has become one of the most popular and lucrative trends.
Record breaking PK Battles
Globally, PK battles have pulled in astonishing figures. One of the most high-profile matches involved Japanese streamer Mugen Siba (@mugen_siba) and Nunu (@nunu.d10). Despite having fewer followers, Mugen earned 324 million coins, equivalent to about US$4.2 million, in just one battle.
Watch the match:
Another major battle saw Anuoki defeating Nunu with 243 million coins (around US$3.16 million).
Watch it here:
Keeping the trend fresh
To stay engaging, platforms are innovating their PK formats. Chinese app MOMO introduced “Emoji PK,” where emojis drop across the screen and streamers must quickly match the expressions. Points are earned for accuracy, and fans can boost scores through gifts.
Streaming platform YY even used PK battles as part of its talent competition rounds, turning them into high-stakes elimination matches.
In Malaysia, the PK trend has gone mainstream.
At the 2024 KamiSempoi Golden Award ceremony, local streamers Adelyn Heng, isseymiyakesg, and Madam Yaya engaged in a live PK battle on stage.
Watch the event:
@f8buzz Siap PK Battle secara langsung atas pentas! Lebih 1 Juta poin dalam masa 5 minit KamiSempoi Golden Award 2024 berlangsung bagi menghargai hos TikTok Live dan rakan niaga agensi TikTok Live tersohor, KamiSempoi. Lebih 20 anugerah dipertaruhkan buat 3000 TikToker yang bernaung di bawah KamiSempoi. Antara yang bakal hadir adalah Riezman Khuzaimi merangkap duta KamiSempoi, penyanyi, Bulan Asyraf, Nita Hamzah, pelakon, Nadia Mustafa, Mustaqim Bahadon dan Syafiq Putra. #f8buzzliveupdate #kamisempoi #kamisempoigoldenaward2024 #ksia #tiktolive #tiktok #pk #pkbattle @Pᴀᴋᴄɪᴋ CʜɪɴSᴡᴇᴇ光頭爺爺 @KAMISEMPOI AGENCY @adelynheng
Even well-known preacher Ebit Lew joined in, participating in a four-way battle that drew thousands of viewers.
Watch here:
While PK battles may seem harmless, there are serious risks.
In 2023, a Chinese social media influencer met a tragic fate after streaming a PK battle on Chinese social media giant Douyin.
On May 16, Sanqiange or Wang participated in the challenge against another influencer. He lost and the punishment was to consume baijiu, a strong Chinese alcoholic drink.
A regular bottle of baijiu typically contains alcohol content ranging from 30-60 per cent.
Wang had apparently consumed a minimum of four bottles of baijiu and tragically the punishment ultimately led to his death almost 12 hours later.
In Malaysia, the danger lies in addiction.
Teachers have reported students skipping school to watch or join PK battles. Parents are finding unexplained charges on their bank accounts linked to digital gifts purchased by their children as well as thefts.
Not only that, the various types of punishment meted out to the losers have been revolting.
Punishments include walking naked, streaming yourself live when you’re showering, rubbing flour or cow dung on your face and other disgusting actions have been reported on the platform all of which go against the company’s regulations.
Some have even accused the trend as a means of washing dirty money.
Pertubuhan Damai Revolusi Masyarakat president L. Francis said the MCMC and police should take action describing PK Battle as a harmful form of online gambling.
He said it was a waste of time and could trigger social issues, including extortion, bullying, sexual exploitation and that some of the donations in the RM3,000 to RM10,000 range seems like a means of cleaning dirty money.
The trend is raising serious questions about online regulation, parental controls, and platform accountability.
