Core Insights - Shanghai's online gaming industry achieved remarkable growth in the first half of 2025, with sales revenue reaching 83.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.8%, marking a historical high [2][4] - The esports sector generated revenue of 3.254 billion yuan, growing by 6.91%, with Shanghai leading the nation in key metrics such as live streaming revenue and the number of high-level clubs [2][4] - The city is enhancing its global influence in the gaming industry, with significant spillover effects impacting traditional sectors through technology innovations like game engines and AI [2][4] Industry Performance - Domestic and overseas sales revenue growth rates for Shanghai's gaming industry were 10.7% and 11.12%, respectively [2] - The compound annual growth rate of Shanghai's overseas gaming sales revenue from 2015 to 2024 reached 20.32%, surpassing the national average [4] - The number of game-related projects in the national cultural export key project list increased from 6.2% in 2019 to 12.4% in 2025-2026 [4] Global Expansion - The Shanghai government introduced measures to facilitate foreign gaming companies' operations, potentially simplifying the approval process for game licenses [3] - Chinese gaming companies are increasingly focusing on global expansion, with overseas actual sales revenue for self-developed games projected to grow by 13.39% to $18.557 billion in 2024 [4] - Shanghai's gaming enterprises are building internationally influential IP systems, exemplified by the success of the mobile game "Girls' Frontline" in overseas markets [5][6] Challenges and Solutions - Chinese gaming companies face challenges such as intellectual property disputes and regulatory hurdles when entering global markets [6] - Industry organizations are forming alliances to assist gaming companies with compliance and operational processes for overseas expansion [6][7] - Shanghai plans to release guidelines for companies looking to enter international markets, along with establishing a research center to support overseas operations [7]