Core Insights - The article highlights the stable approval process for domestic game licenses in China, with a significant increase in the number of licenses issued in 2025 compared to the previous year [1][3] - The gaming market in August 2025 showed stable performance, with notable revenue contributions from high-quality products, indicating a positive outlook for game development companies [2][3] Group 1: License Approval and Supply - On September 24, 2025, the National Press and Publication Administration approved 145 domestic games and 11 imported games, indicating a robust supply of game licenses [1] - The total number of domestic game licenses issued in 2025 has reached 1,195, significantly higher than the 959 licenses issued in the same period last year, with an average monthly issuance of 132.8 licenses [1] Group 2: Market Performance - In August 2025, the domestic gaming market generated revenue of 29.263 billion yuan, reflecting a month-on-month growth of 0.61% but a year-on-year decline of 13.01% due to a high base from the previous year [2] - Mobile game revenue was 21.521 billion yuan, with a month-on-month increase of 0.85% and a year-on-year decrease of 4.25%, while client game revenue was 6.563 billion yuan, showing a month-on-month decline of 1.11% but a year-on-year increase of 17.59% [2] Group 3: Investment Outlook - The stable approval rhythm for game licenses and the rich supply of game products lead to a favorable investment outlook for companies with strong content reserves and solid fundamentals [3]

Core Viewpoint - The gaming industry in China is experiencing a significant increase in the issuance of domestic game licenses, with a total of 1,195 licenses granted in the first nine months of the year, surpassing the 959 licenses issued during the same period last year [1][3]. Group 1: License Issuance - In September, 145 domestic games were approved, contributing to a total of 1,195 domestic licenses issued this year, which is significantly higher than the 959 licenses issued in the same period last year [1][3]. - The average monthly issuance of licenses has increased from 88.8 in 2023 and 108.8 in 2024 to 132.8 in the first nine months of this year [1][3]. Group 2: Market Performance - The gaming market in August recorded a revenue of 29.263 billion yuan, showing a month-on-month growth of 0.61%, although it experienced a year-on-year decline of 13.01% due to high revenue from a major game in the previous year [4]. - Mobile game revenue reached 21.521 billion yuan, with a month-on-month increase of 0.85% and a year-on-year decline of 4.25%, while client game revenue was 6.563 billion yuan, showing a month-on-month decrease of 1.11% but a year-on-year increase of 17.59% [4]. Group 3: Key Products and Companies - Tencent's game "Delta Action" saw its daily active users rise to 30 million in September, topping the iOS sales chart, indicating strong profit contributions [4]. - The new game "Valorant: Energy Action" is expected to generate over 300 million yuan in its first month [4]. - Companies such as Tencent, NetEase, and Giant Network are highlighted for their strong product performance and market presence [4][5].

Core Viewpoint - The gaming industry in China is experiencing a positive trend, with a record number of domestic game approvals and continued growth in market size, indicating a healthy long-term outlook for the sector [1] Industry Summary - On August 25, the National Press and Publication Administration announced the approval of 166 domestic online games, marking a historical high for game approvals [1] - A new batch of imported games was also approved, including 7 titles, reflecting ongoing regulatory support for the industry [1] - The gaming industry showed sustained growth in July 2025, with the domestic market size reaching 29.084 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.62% [1] - Mobile gaming experienced a slight growth of 0.92%, while client-based gaming saw a significant increase of 16.56% [1] - Notable game performances include Tencent's "Delta Action" achieving 20 million daily active users in July and the successful launch of the mobile game "Valorant" on August 19, which boosted user engagement [1] - Other games like Giant Network's "Supernatural Action Group" and G-bits' "Staff Sword Legend" also performed well during July and August [1] - The industry is expected to perform well in the third quarter, particularly during the summer peak season, supported by favorable policies and abundant supply [1]

Core Insights - The article highlights a record high of 166 domestic game approvals in August, indicating strong policy support and a rich supply of products, leading to a positive outlook for the industry [1][2]. Group 1: Approval Statistics - In August, the National Press and Publication Administration approved 166 domestic games, marking a historical peak; a total of 1,050 domestic game approvals have been issued in the first eight months of the year, significantly higher than the 850 approvals during the same period last year [2]. - The average monthly issuance of domestic game approvals has increased from 88.8 in 2023 and 108.8 in 2024 to 131 in the first eight months of this year [2]. Group 2: Market Performance - The gaming industry in China continued to show positive growth in July 2025, with a domestic market size reaching 29.084 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.62%; mobile gaming grew by 0.92%, while client-based gaming surged by 16.56% [3]. - Notable game performances include Tencent's "Delta Action" achieving 20 million daily active users in July, and the mobile game "Valorant" launched on August 19, which boosted user engagement [3]. Group 3: Investment Recommendations - The stable approval rhythm and abundant game supply lead to a favorable outlook for companies with quality content reserves and solid fundamentals [4].

Group 1 - The A-share market for online gaming stocks has shown strong performance, with Sanqi Interactive Entertainment hitting the daily limit and reaching a new high since December 2023, while Icefire Network rose over 5% [1] - The gaming ETF from Huatai-PineBridge has increased by over 2%, with a year-to-date gain of 50% [2] - The gaming ETF tracks the CSI Animation and Gaming Index, reflecting the overall performance of A-share listed companies in the animation and gaming industry [3] Group 2 - Sanqi Interactive Entertainment announced a projected revenue of 8.486 billion yuan and a net profit of 1.4 billion yuan for the first half of 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 10.72%. The company plans to distribute a cash dividend of 2.10 yuan per 10 shares, totaling approximately 462 million yuan [3] - The National Press and Publication Administration approved a record 166 domestic online games on August 25, marking a historical high. In the first eight months of this year, 1,050 domestic game licenses have been issued, significantly higher than the 850 issued during the same period last year [4] - The gaming industry in China continued to grow in July 2025, with the domestic market size reaching 29.084 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.62%. Mobile gaming grew by 0.92%, while client games saw a 16.56% increase [4]

Investment Rating - The report assigns an "Overweight" rating to the gaming industry [1] Core Insights - In August, the number of domestic game approvals reached a record high of 166, with several listed companies receiving product approvals, indicating a positive outlook for the industry supported by favorable policies and abundant supply [3] - The domestic gaming market size in July 2025 was 29.084 billion yuan, showing a year-on-year growth of 4.62%, with mobile gaming growing by 0.92% and client-based gaming by 16.56% [5] Summary by Sections Approval Data - In August 2025, the National Press and Publication Administration approved 166 domestic games, marking a historical high. A total of 1,050 domestic game approvals have been issued in the first eight months of the year, significantly higher than the 850 approvals in the same period last year [5] - The report highlights specific games that received approvals, including titles from companies like NetEase, Bilibili, and 37 Interactive Entertainment [5] Market Performance - The gaming industry continues to show positive growth, with notable performances from games like Tencent's "Delta Action" achieving 20 million daily active users in July [5] - The report maintains a positive outlook for the gaming industry in the third quarter, particularly during the summer peak season, due to stable approval rhythms and rich product supply [5] Investment Recommendations - The report recommends companies with solid fundamentals and quality content reserves, including Kying Network, 37 Interactive Entertainment, Giant Network, Perfect World, Shenzhou Taiyue, and others [5][6]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that the approval of domestic game licenses has reached a historical high, with 166 games approved in August, contributing to a total of 1,050 licenses issued in the first eight months of the year, significantly higher than the 850 licenses in the same period last year [1][2] - The monthly average of domestic game licenses issued has increased from 88.8 in 2023 and 108.8 in 2024 to 131 in the first eight months of 2025, indicating a stable approval rhythm and a rich supply of game products [2] - Notable approved products include titles from major companies such as NetEase, Bilibili, and Tencent, showcasing a diverse range of offerings in the market [2] Group 2 - The gaming industry continues to show positive growth, with the domestic market size reaching 29.084 billion yuan in July 2025, a year-on-year increase of 4.62%, driven by strong performance in both mobile and client games [3] - The industry is expected to perform well in the third quarter, particularly during the summer peak season, supported by favorable policies and abundant supply [3] - Key games contributing to user engagement include Tencent's "Triangular Action" and the recently launched mobile game "Valorant," indicating a healthy consumer interest in gaming [3]

Core Insights - The 2025 Cologne International Game Show opened on August 20 in Germany, featuring a record number of exhibitors and showcasing the latest works from game manufacturers worldwide [1][2] - The event will run until August 24, attracting over 1,500 exhibitors and expanding the exhibition area to 233,000 square meters, covering various segments including interactive gaming experiences, COSPLAY performances, independent games, card games, artist zones, campus recruitment, and gaming merchandise sales [1] - This year, 50 Chinese companies are participating, an increase of over 10 from the previous year, with showcased works characterized by new releases, cutting-edge technology, and Chinese elements [1] - The exposure and influence of Chinese games in Europe have significantly increased, as reflected in market data and participation in the exhibition [2] - Germany, as Europe's largest and the fifth-largest gaming market globally, has approximately 37.5 million gamers, with four Chinese-developed products expected to enter the top ten mobile game downloads in Germany in 2024 [2] - The Cologne International Game Show, founded in 2009, is co-hosted by the German Games Industry Association and Koelnmesse, and is recognized as one of the three major game exhibitions globally alongside the E3 and Tokyo Game Show [2]

Industry Trends - Amazon's report indicates that the number of global PC and console gamers reached 1.43 billion in Q1 2025, a 19% increase from Q1 2023 [2] - In five European countries and Japan, the growth rate of PC and console gamers is outpacing that of mobile gamers, with Japan's growth rate being four times that of mobile gaming [2] Company Updates - Xindong Network forecasts a revenue of 3.05 billion RMB for the first half of 2025, representing a 37% year-on-year increase, with net profit expected to exceed 790 million RMB, a 215% surge [3] - The strong performance is attributed to self-developed products like "Ragnarok M: Original Server" and "Torchlight: Infinite," which have driven revenue and gross profit to new highs [3] - Xiaohongshu's "RED LAND" event in Shanghai showcased popular IPs and marked the platform's first large-scale offline event in the gaming sector [4] - Bilibili has launched a feature allowing users to link their Steam accounts, enhancing user engagement within its community [6] - The Kuro Carnival held in Guangzhou featured interactive gaming zones and exhibitions, covering over 24,000 square meters [7] - Zhongyou Mobile announced the detention of its former studio head for serious job-related crimes, impacting the development of the game "Xianjian World" [8] - Nexon has unveiled a new single-player game titled "Woochi the Wayfarer," based on a classic Korean novel [9]

Core Viewpoint - The gaming sector is experiencing a strong performance, with multiple stocks showing significant gains and the gaming ETF (516010) rising over 6%, indicating a potential golden development period for the industry [1]. Industry Performance - The gaming ETF (516010) has seen a year-to-date increase of over 27% as of June 30, with its latest scale reaching 2.053 billion, an increase of 555 million this year [5]. - The top ten holdings in the gaming ETF include stocks like Kaiying Network and Giant Network, which have hit the daily limit, while others like 37 Interactive Entertainment and Perfect World have risen over 6% [3]. Regulatory Environment - In June, the National Press and Publication Administration approved 147 domestic game licenses and 11 imported game licenses, marking the highest number of approvals in recent years [3]. - As of now, a total of 812 game licenses have been issued for 2025, with domestic games dominating at 757 licenses compared to 55 for imported games [4]. - A new policy from the Zhejiang Provincial Government, effective July 10, 2025, aims to support the international expansion of the gaming industry, reflecting strong governmental support for the sector [4]. Market Outlook - Analysts from CITIC Securities express optimism about the performance of new games during the summer, supported by high-frequency data exceeding expectations and ongoing policies promoting international expansion [5]. - The domestic gaming market is projected to reach a size of 857.04 billion in Q1 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 17.99% [5]. - The application of AI technology in the gaming industry is becoming clearer, with expectations for more AI-native games to emerge, potentially leading to a revaluation of the gaming sector [6].