Core Insights - The Chinese animation and gaming industry is experiencing significant growth, with the market expected to exceed 270 billion yuan in 2024, making China the largest market globally for the "二次元" (2D) culture [2] - Major events like ChinaJoy and BiliBili World are becoming increasingly competitive, with cities vying for the rights to host these exhibitions, reflecting the rising commercial value of the industry [2] - The "痛" (pain) culture, characterized by the decoration of personal items with anime and gaming merchandise, is driving consumer interest and economic value, as evidenced by the rapid ticket sales for events like BW 2025 [4] Industry Trends - The rise of "痛" culture is linked to the continuous upgrade of domestic gaming companies, which are now focusing on creating a full IP value chain around popular games [4][5] - Companies like叠纸游戏 and米哈游 are successfully launching high-quality merchandise and achieving significant sales, indicating a strong market for IP-related products [4][5] - The trend of cross-industry collaborations is growing, with more consumer brands seeking partnerships with gaming and entertainment companies to tap into the lucrative market of IP merchandise [5] Event Dynamics - Major gaming companies are leveraging events like ChinaJoy to showcase their products, with companies like世纪华通 and网易游戏 presenting a diverse range of games and attracting large crowds [6][7] - The immersive experience provided at these events is crucial for gathering player feedback and enhancing marketing strategies, as players increasingly value firsthand experiences over traditional marketing [8] - The focus on high-quality, boutique games is reshaping the industry, with player reviews and word-of-mouth becoming critical for the success of new game launches [8]

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]

Group 1 - The 22nd China International Digital Interactive Entertainment Expo (ChinaJoy) officially opened on August 1 in Shanghai, with Tencent Games showcasing 17 products, occupying nearly half of the N4 hall [1] - Tencent Games' theme for this year's event is "COOL Goose Summer Camp," which aims to enhance product experience and booth services, featuring over ten gameplay categories and popular new releases such as "Runeterra: League of Legends Card Battle" and "Dance Dance Revolution: Party" [1] - The event includes immersive trial experiences and interactive activities like esports competitions and challenge games, providing a comprehensive exhibition service for attendees [1] Group 2 - The "COOL Goose Summer Camp" consists of a central square, a comprehensive exhibition area, and three independent exhibition zones, highlighted by a 40-meter "Goose MAX" screen that connects various experiences [2] - Attendees can engage in "cyber interaction" by projecting hand-drawn images and real-time comments onto the "Goose MAX" screen, with live leaderboards for competitive events displayed [2] - The central square features a green camp design with multiple interactive areas, allowing players to participate in fun activities and earn rewards, such as reciting a poem to use a loudspeaker or generating AI-customized memorabilia [2] Group 3 - The central square is flanked by a comprehensive exhibition area and three independent booths, showcasing 17 game products with diverse interactive experiences [3] - The comprehensive exhibition area features 11 products, including popular titles like "Honor of Kings" and games from Supercell, covering various genres such as strategy and simulation [3] - Independent booths include major titles from the Dungeon Fighter IP and new releases like "Valorant" and "Runeterra," offering extensive trial activities and a unique exhibition experience for players [3]

Group 1 - The 22nd ChinaJoy was held from August 1 to 4 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, with Tencent Games showcasing 17 products, occupying nearly half of the N4 hall [1] - Tencent Games' theme for this year's event was "COOL Goose Summer Camp," focusing on enhancing product experience and booth services, featuring over ten gameplay categories and popular new titles like "Runeterra: League of Legends Card Battle" and "Dance Party: Party" [1][2] - Interactive activities such as esports events and challenge games were added to various product booths, providing an immersive experience for attendees [1] Group 2 - Tencent's popular MOBA game "Honor of Kings" and Supercell's well-known titles like "Clash of Clans" and "Clash Royale" were featured, covering strategy, light competition, and simulation genres [3] - The independent exhibition area included large-scale trial activities for three DNF IP products and other titles, attracting a diverse audience of mobile, tabletop, and console gamers [3] - Supercell presented seven games in a unique "Supercell Trendy Game Street" at the event, celebrating the 13th anniversary of "Clash of Clans" with special activities and inviting popular KOLs for player engagement [4] Group 3 - "MapleStory: Legend of Maple" celebrated its 2nd anniversary with a themed event, while "Wild Origin" featured a "Wild Evolution Station" inviting well-known cosplayers and content creators for interactive experiences [4] - Tencent and Ubisoft collaborated to launch the first motion-sensing dance mobile game "Dance Party: Party," which was showcased at the event with performances by popular KOLs [4]

Group 1 - Tencent invested €1.16 billion (approximately ¥9.1 billion) in Ubisoft's new subsidiary, acquiring a 25% stake, aiming to enhance single-player narrative experiences and expand multiplayer services through frequent content updates and social features [4][2] - Tencent established the K9 Cooperation Department to manage strategic collaboration with Ubisoft, focusing on publishing representation and IP cooperation, with the goal of transforming Ubisoft's core IPs into evergreen brands [2][5] - The K9 Cooperation Department will be led by Chen Kan, who previously worked on the "Crossfire" series and will oversee the publishing and IP cooperation for Ubisoft products like "Rainbow Six" and "Just Dance: Party" [2][5] Group 2 - Tencent's international gaming revenue grew by 23% year-on-year to ¥16.6 billion in Q1, marking a historical high for three consecutive quarters, highlighting the importance of international markets in Tencent's strategy [4] - The restructuring involved dissolving the original UBI Cooperation Department and integrating its functions into the K9 Cooperation Department, as well as merging the Activision and EA Cooperation Departments into other divisions to focus on core IP cooperation [5]

Industry Developments - The Chinese government has introduced multiple favorable policies for the gaming industry, including support for game exports and the establishment of a "Game Art Design" undergraduate program [1][4][5] - The National Press and Publication Administration approved 127 new game licenses in April, with 118 being domestic games [1][6] Company Updates - Gigabit reported Q1 2025 revenue of 1.136 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.47%, and a net profit of 283 million yuan, up 11.82% [1][8] - Giant Network's 2024 net profit grew by 31.15%, with stable operations and significant growth in mini-game business [1][11] - Iceberg Network reported a net loss of 247 million yuan in 2024, a decline of approximately 190%, primarily due to high overseas marketing costs [1][9][10] - Perfect World experienced a 28.5% revenue decline in 2024 but rebounded in Q1 2025 with a revenue increase of 52.22% [1][12] - Youzu Network's 2024 revenue fell by 11.75%, but Q1 2025 showed a revenue increase of 7.29% [1][13] - Tencent announced 46 game updates at the SPARK 2025 conference, including 24 new games [1][14] - Ru Yi Jing Xiu partnered with NBA China to develop two mobile games, expanding into the sports gaming sector [1][15] - NetEase's global investment and cooperation president Simon Zhu announced his departure, with Li Riqiang taking over [1][16]