Group 1: Q3 Mini Game Consumption - In September, the daily consumption of mini games across three major media platforms reached approximately 149 million, representing a growth of about 19.2% compared to Q1 [2] - The estimated daily consumption for each platform in September is as follows: Platform A: IAP + mixed consumption approximately 50.5 million, IAA consumption 14.8 million; Platform B: IAP + mixed consumption approximately 67.3 million, IAA consumption 6.9 million; Platform C: IAP + mixed consumption approximately 5 million, IAA consumption 0.5 million [2] Group 2: Q3 Mini Game Acquisition Data - The consumption share of strategy war games continued to decline in Q3, while the game "Endless Winter" by Dots Interactive ranked second in material investment [3] - The idle game category also showed a downward trend, but "Seeking the Great Thousand" by 37 Interactive maintained strong material investment [3] - Simulation games performed strongly in Q3, surpassing idle games in consumption for the first time in August [3] Group 3: Material Investment Volume - The total material investment volume in Q3 was approximately 5.3 million, a decrease of about 12.5% compared to Q2 [4] - IAP + mixed mini games saw a decline of over 13% in material investment, which was the main reason for the overall drop in Q3 [4] - IAA mini games also experienced an 8% decline in material investment, but still exceeded 1 million [5] Group 4: Number of Games in Investment - The number of games in investment exceeded 17,000 in Q3, representing a 4.5% increase compared to Q2 [6] - The number of IAA mini games increased by over 900, approaching 13,000, driven by the rise of silver economy and female-oriented products [6] - The IAP + mixed mini game sector is undergoing a transition, with some older products falling behind, leading to a decline in the number of games in investment [6] Group 5: Hot Investment Categories - The top three categories in Q3 for mini game participation were casual, elimination, and puzzle games, with light casual games remaining a key focus due to their low investment cost [7] - Female-oriented gameplay surged by approximately 15%, indicating the potential of this segment [8] - The tower defense category continued to expand, with new gameplay entering the market, leading to a more than 7% increase in the number of games in investment [8] Group 6: Theme Investment Trends - Modern themes maintained the highest share in Q3, followed by fantasy and Xianxia themes [9] - The number of games in the ACG (Anime, Comic, Game) category increased by over 10% due to the rapid development of the mini game sector [9] - Traditional themes like Three Kingdoms and martial arts saw a decrease in the number of games in investment, attributed to severe content homogenization [9] Group 7: Douyin Mini Game Acquisition Data - In Q3, the material investment volume exceeded 13 million, marking a nearly 50% increase compared to Q2 [10] - The IAA material investment volume saw significant growth, doubling compared to Q2 [10] - The number of games in investment exceeded 14,000 in Q3, reflecting a 22.5% increase compared to Q2 [12] Group 8: Douyin Mini Game Trends - The number of IAA mini games surged by over 25% in Q3, exceeding 11,000, with light casual games remaining dominant [13] - The IAP + mixed mini game sector also saw growth, with an increase of over 400 products compared to Q2 [13]

Core Insights - The recent trend in the mini-game market shows a significant rise in the use of AI-generated materials, particularly in the categories of micro-horror and beauty themes, leading to several games climbing the sales charts [1][2][19] Group 1: Mini-Games Entering Micro-Horror and Beauty Themes - Numerous popular mini-games have recently adopted AI to create micro-horror and beauty materials, achieving notable success [2][4] - For instance, "Jianghun Master," launched in early August, utilized AI-generated micro-horror content, resulting in a rapid rise from outside the top 100 to the 4th position on the sales chart within 20 days [2][4] - "Yokai Gold Finger," which focuses on monster cultivation and strategy, effectively captured user curiosity with its AI-generated horror elements [4][11] Group 2: Material Creativity and User Engagement - The materials used in these games generally fall into two categories: micro-horror and beauty themes, with the former focusing on creating an engaging atmosphere rather than traditional horror elements [11][12] - Games like "Wangzhe Jianghun" and "Cunxin Zhizhan" target male users with AI-generated beauty materials, employing visual attraction and suggestive content to draw in players [11][12] - The commonality among these games is their focus on curiosity and suggestive elements, which resonate well with the target audience [12][18] Group 3: Market Trends and Future Directions - The trend of using AI-generated materials in mini-games is expected to continue, as other creative materials have become saturated in the app market [20][21] - However, challenges such as rising marketing costs and the need for differentiation in content creation are present, making it crucial for games to focus on unique themes [21][22] - Potential areas for AI material extension include Chinese mythology and niche themes, which can attract users interested in traditional culture while reducing marketing costs [22][23]