Group 1 - The article discusses the mixed reception of the Chinese single-player game "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu" (referred to as "Mingmo"), which faced criticism for various issues including reward distribution errors and historical adaptation controversies [1] - The game initially received overwhelming negative reviews but managed to recover to a "mostly positive" rating on Steam after the developers issued apologies and released patches [1] - The article contrasts "Mingmo" with another Chinese game, "Black Myth: Wukong," which has garnered positive acclaim, highlighting the challenges faced by new entrants in the Chinese gaming market [1] Group 2 - The article explores the "Soulslike" genre, characterized by its emphasis on patience, reaction, and decision-making rather than mindless combat, with players often describing their experiences as "suffering" [2][3] - The narrative and aesthetic of games like "Dark Souls" are steeped in themes of decay and despair, creating a unique atmosphere that resonates with players [3][4] - The influence of early fantasy literature, particularly the "dying earth" subgenre, is noted as a significant inspiration for the dark fantasy style of these games [6][7] Group 3 - The article delves into the philosophical underpinnings of the "Dark Souls" series, which reflects themes of entropy and the inevitable decline of the universe, paralleling the concept of "heat death" [14][15] - The narrative structure of "Dark Souls" employs fragmented storytelling, requiring players to piece together the lore through exploration and discovery [4][24] - The article draws connections between the "dying earth" genre and the works of authors like Jack Vance, emphasizing the romanticism of entropy and the exploration of personal desires in a decaying world [25][27] Group 4 - The influence of H.G. Wells and other early science fiction writers on the themes of decay and societal collapse is highlighted, showcasing how these narratives have evolved over time [31][32] - The article discusses the blending of science fiction and fantasy elements in works like "The Dying Earth," which has impacted both literature and gaming [46] - The concept of "entropic romance" is introduced, where characters navigate a world on the brink of collapse, seeking meaning and connection in their personal journeys [25][26]

Core Viewpoint - The launch of the domestic AAA game "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu" was initially successful, topping sales charts on Steam, but quickly faced a significant decline in player reviews due to various technical and operational issues [1][3][9]. Group 1: Launch Performance - "Mingmo" achieved over 100,000 concurrent players within the first hour of its release and peaked at over 130,000 on launch day [1] - The game topped the global sales chart on Steam and the sales chart in China (excluding free games) on its release day [1] Group 2: Player Reception - The game's positive review rate on Steam dropped below 40% within hours of launch and fell to a low of 19% by the end of the first day [3] - Criticism focused on issues such as poor optimization, chaotic version rights distribution, and price discrepancies with other regions [5][6] Group 3: Technical and Operational Issues - Players reported significant frame rate drops and stuttering, even on high-end hardware like the RTX 4090, with frame rates fluctuating between 50-160 FPS [6] - The standard version of the game was priced at 248 CNY, while the deluxe version was 298 CNY, but players found inconsistencies in the rewards they received based on their purchase [6][9] Group 4: Market Context and Comparisons - The game was compared unfavorably to "Black Myth: Wukong," which had set high expectations for domestic AAA titles [10] - The marketing strategy, which included promises of low pricing and high performance, ultimately led to a breach of player trust when the product did not meet expectations [13] Group 5: Future Outlook - Despite the initial backlash, the game has begun to recover, with its review rate improving to 46% and daily positive ratings reaching 69% [22][23] - The ongoing updates and optimizations are seen as crucial for rebuilding player trust and improving the game's reputation [22][23]

Core Insights - The 22nd ChinaJoy has opened with unprecedented enthusiasm, showcasing a significant recovery in the interactive entertainment industry compared to last year [1][6][3] - The event features over 11,000 square meters of exhibition space, attracting hundreds of companies and thousands of new products, with expected attendance reaching several hundred thousand [3][6] - The domestic gaming market has achieved a record revenue of 168 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, marking a year-on-year growth of 14.08% [6] Industry Overview - ChinaJoy has evolved from a simple gaming exhibition to a comprehensive "technology + entertainment" event, becoming a barometer for the interactive entertainment industry [3] - The event includes 11 exhibition halls and showcases major digital entertainment sectors such as gaming, animation, internet film and television, music, esports, and new entertainment [3][6] Company Highlights - Major gaming companies like Tencent, NetEase, Giant Network, and Perfect World are showcasing multiple products, with Tencent occupying nearly half of the N4 hall with 17 products [8] - NetEase is presenting 45 games under the theme "Challenge! My Passion Partner," while Century Huatong features 13 games and an immersive "Game for Gamers" theme [8] Product Launches - Notable new games include NetEase's "Destiny: Stars" and Tencent's global premiere of "Runeterra: League of Legends Card Battle" [9][10] - Classic IPs are also highlighted, with Tencent showcasing three products from the "Dungeon and Fighter" series [13] Technological Innovations - Century Huatong's "Game+Lab" is demonstrating AI integration in gaming, showcasing tools like AI character editors and brain language assessment platforms [14] - Three Seven Interactive's self-developed model "Xiao Qi" has significantly improved art material generation efficiency and AI customer service accuracy [18] Industry Discussions - Industry leaders are discussing the need to bridge the gap between high performance and value perception in the gaming market, emphasizing the importance of cultural depth and intellectual property protection [17] - The focus is on transforming technological innovations into industry momentum, with a push for personalized content generation and non-linear gameplay as future battlegrounds [18]

Core Insights - The 22nd ChinaJoy has seen a significant increase in attendance and enthusiasm compared to last year, indicating a strong recovery in the interactive entertainment industry [1][2][4] - The event has evolved from a simple gaming exhibition to a comprehensive "technology + entertainment" fair, showcasing a wide range of digital entertainment sectors [2][4] Industry Performance - The domestic gaming market achieved a record sales revenue of 168 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, marking a year-on-year growth of 14.08% [4] - The number of gaming users reached approximately 679 million, reflecting a growth of 0.72% year-on-year, also a historical high [4] Exhibitor Highlights - Major gaming companies such as Tencent, NetEase, and Giant Network showcased multiple new products, with Tencent occupying nearly half of the N4 hall with 17 games [5][6] - NetEase presented 45 games under the theme "Challenge! My Passion Partner," while Century Huatong featured 13 games and an immersive "Game+Lab" experience [5] New Game Showcases - Notable new titles include Tencent's global premiere of "Runeterra: League of Legends Card Battle" and several unreleased games from Century Huatong, attracting significant visitor interest [7] - The event also highlighted classic IP innovations, such as Tencent's "Dungeon & Fighter" series, showcasing the integration of technology and gameplay [7] Industry Trends and Insights - Industry leaders discussed the need to bridge the gap between high performance and value perception, emphasizing the importance of cultural depth and intellectual property protection [8] - The focus on technological innovation, such as AI capabilities, is seen as a key driver for enhancing productivity and creativity within the gaming sector [9]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the significant backlash against the game "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu," highlighting the disconnect between player expectations and the game's actual performance, leading to a cultural and political discourse surrounding its release [5][15][40]. Group 1: Game Quality and Reception - Prior to its release, "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu" received positive early reviews, with IGN and GS both scoring it 8, indicating a strong expectation from players [5]. - After 21 hours of gameplay, the game was deemed to have acceptable quality, with a solid map design and combat system that encourages diverse strategies [8][10]. - Despite the game’s quality, it faced a severe backlash on release day, resulting in a low approval rating of 19% due to various operational and narrative issues [16][17]. Group 2: Reasons for Backlash - The backlash stemmed from three main issues: mismatched rewards between deluxe and standard editions, a price drop in the Chinese market that angered players, and a narrative perceived as disrespectful to Han culture [17][18][19]. - The game was labeled as "Han traitor game" due to these perceived insults, leading to widespread criticism and personal attacks on content creators discussing the game [21][22]. Group 3: Cultural and Political Implications - The situation reflects a deeper cultural memory divide, where different groups project their sentiments onto the historical context of the Ming dynasty, turning it into a semantic minefield [26][27]. - The game's marketing strategy, which aimed to leverage the emotionally charged historical context, ultimately backfired, revealing the complexities of identity politics in contemporary discourse [29][30]. - The article suggests that the game's reception is not solely based on its quality but rather on how it interacts with sensitive cultural emotions, indicating a broader trend of products being scrutinized through the lens of ideological narratives [37][40].

Core Viewpoint - The game "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu" has experienced a significant drop in reputation despite initial positive reviews, highlighting the complexities of cultural and emotional expectations surrounding it [1][11][28]. Group 1: Game Quality and Design - The game is considered to have a competent quality, with a map design that allows for exploration, although it does not reach the level of renowned titles in the genre [5]. - The battle system encourages players to experiment with different combat styles, featuring a unique design that reduces difficulty through resource management [7][9]. - Despite its quality, the game faced a backlash due to operational and narrative issues, leading to a low approval rating of 19% at launch [11][28]. Group 2: Cultural and Emotional Context - The title "Mingmo" evokes strong historical sentiments among players, representing a complex intersection of nationalism and nostalgia [2][18]. - The game's narrative choices have sparked outrage, as the absence of certain historical representations has been perceived as offensive, leading to accusations of being a "traitor game" [11][13]. - The cultural memory surrounding the Ming dynasty has become a contentious topic, reflecting broader societal divisions and identity politics [18][41]. Group 3: Market and Commercial Strategy - The marketing strategy of leveraging a sensitive historical context has backfired, as it attracted attention but ultimately led to significant backlash [23][25]. - The game's initial promotional tactics were effective in generating interest, but the disconnect between player expectations and the actual experience resulted in a rapid decline in reputation [25][28]. - The game's performance on platforms like Steam shows a stark contrast in approval ratings between Chinese and international players, indicating that the criticism is rooted in cultural sensitivities rather than game quality [28].

Core Insights - ChinaJoy 2023 showcased a split between traditional gaming experiences and innovative mobile gaming environments, highlighting the evolution of the gaming industry in China [1][2][16] Group 1: Industry Trends - The presence of major domestic gaming companies like Perfect World and Century Huatong at ChinaJoy indicates the event's importance for showcasing recent achievements [2][11] - The absence of MiHoYo and Game Science, notable players in the industry, raises questions about their future participation in traditional gaming expos [2][11] - The event saw a significant increase in exhibitors, with 743 companies participating compared to over 600 last year, reflecting a growing interest in the gaming sector [16] Group 2: Game Highlights - The game "Shadow Blade Zero" attracted considerable attention, with long queues for gameplay, indicating strong player interest in new domestic AAA titles [5][9] - "Lost Soul," another game showcased, is nearing its final release version, set to launch on August 29, demonstrating the ongoing development of new titles [9] - "Ming Dynasty: Abyss of the Void" faced criticism for optimization issues but has seen a recovery in player reviews following recent updates, highlighting the importance of community feedback [9][11] Group 3: Technological Innovations - Huawei's participation with over 50 native HarmonyOS games signifies a shift towards multi-device gaming experiences, expanding beyond traditional platforms [13][15] - The introduction of immersive gaming experiences through various devices, including smart TVs and cars, showcases the potential for cross-platform gaming in the future [15] - The HarmonyOS ecosystem is being viewed as a new opportunity for game developers, indicating a shift in the competitive landscape of mobile gaming [15] Group 4: Competitive Landscape - The success of the BW exhibition, which attracted 400,000 attendees, suggests a growing competition for audience attention in the gaming and anime sectors [16][17] - The emergence of alternative events like BW and initiatives by platforms such as Xiaohongshu to capture the youth market indicates a need for ChinaJoy to innovate and engage younger audiences [16][17]

Core Insights - The 22nd ChinaJoy was held from August 1 to 4 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, showcasing significant interest in the gaming industry [1] - The game "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu" attracted long queues, with wait times for gameplay reaching up to 15 minutes, indicating strong player interest despite previous negative reviews [1] - Following the release of a new round of updates, the proportion of positive reviews for the game increased from 64% to 70%, suggesting improvements in player satisfaction [1] Industry Summary - The gaming industry is experiencing a notable event with ChinaJoy, highlighting trends in player engagement and feedback mechanisms [1] - The initial negative reception of "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu" included complaints about character interactions and bugs, which are critical factors for game developers to address [1] - The improvement in review ratings post-update reflects the importance of ongoing support and development in maintaining player interest and satisfaction [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese gaming industry has evolved significantly over the past decade, now capable of producing AAA games, which are seen as essential for global competitiveness [6][8]. Group 1: Industry Evolution - The success of "Black Myth: Wukong" has encouraged more developers to pursue AAA games, with companies like NetEase and Century Huatong exploring this direction [3][10]. - The financial capacity of Chinese game developers has increased dramatically, with NetEase's gaming revenue projected to reach 83.6 billion RMB in 2024, up from 1.38 billion RMB in 2005, marking a 60-fold increase [6][8]. - The Chinese gaming industry has developed a systematic understanding of game development technologies and processes, making the creation of high-quality AAA games more feasible [6][7]. Group 2: Quality and Unique Experience - High quality is deemed the most challenging aspect of AAA game development, as games must offer unique experiential value to attract players [7][8]. - The game "Guitang" aims to leverage digital technology to recreate historical narratives, supported by cultural heritage data from Gansu Province [7][8]. - The report indicates that by 2024, overseas sales of Chinese self-developed games are expected to reach approximately 18.56 billion USD, representing about 40% of the domestic market's revenue [7][8]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and ROI - The AAA game market is becoming increasingly competitive, with many developers entering the space despite the high investment and uncertain returns [11][12]. - The return on investment (ROI) for AAA games is complex and cannot be solely compared to other game types, as the market for blockbuster games is limited [11][12]. - There is a growing interest from non-gaming companies in developing high-quality games, driven by the success of "Black Myth: Wukong" and the relatively lower development costs in China compared to Western markets [12][13]. Group 4: Market Growth - The Chinese console gaming market is experiencing rapid growth, with actual sales revenue reaching 1.03 billion RMB in the first half of 2025, a nearly 30% year-on-year increase [13]. - This growth is attributed to the ongoing popularity of "Black Myth: Wukong" and the success of new imported console games, providing a favorable environment for domestic AAA game development [13].

Group 1 - The global sales of Chinese games have exceeded 28 million copies, generating total revenue of over 9 billion yuan [1] - Chinese games have achieved historical milestones, with one game becoming the highest-selling game in China's buyout system and another achieving the highest global annual sales [3] - The rise of Chinese AAA games is highlighted by the success of titles like "Mingmo: Yuanshu Zhi Yu," showcasing the global recognition of Chinese gaming [6] Group 2 - Guangdong Province is a dominant force in China's gaming industry, accounting for over 75% of the national revenue in the past five years, even surpassing 80% at times [8] - Guangzhou's gaming industry revenue has surpassed 140 billion yuan, contributing nearly half of the national gaming revenue [11] - The "Game First Street" in Guangzhou, known for its concentration of gaming companies, has produced significant titles and has a market value exceeding 100 billion yuan [13] Group 3 - As the gaming market grows, the concentration of companies on Game First Street has reached its limits, prompting businesses to expand outward [15] - The development of the "Game Valley" project in Huangpu District aims to enhance the gaming industry's infrastructure, with a total investment of 4.5 billion yuan [17] - The esports market in China is expected to exceed 200 billion yuan by 2027, indicating a growing trend in the gaming sector [17][19]