Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the media industry, indicating a positive outlook for the sector [7][10]. Core Insights - The media industry has shown a weekly increase of 4.30%, ranking 6th among various sectors, with notable performances from companies like Rongxin Culture and Fantou Digital [13][20]. - AI applications and cultural exports are highlighted as key themes for investment, with a focus on sub-sectors such as gaming, IP, short dramas, and publishing [5][39]. - The short drama segment, particularly AI-enabled comic dramas, is experiencing explosive growth, with a projected market size exceeding 20 billion [38]. Summary by Sections Market Performance - The media industry (Shenwan) increased by 4.30% from October 18 to October 24, 2025, outperforming the Shanghai Composite Index, which rose by 2.88% [13][14]. - Notable stocks include Bilibili-W and Reading Group, which saw weekly increases of 11.24% and 9.88%, respectively [20]. Key Industry Data AI Application Data - Estimated iOS downloads for AI applications from October 17 to October 23 were 47.29K for Deepseek, 209.80K for Doubao, 69.49K for Quark, and 104.38K for Tencent Yuanbao, with respective week-over-week changes of -4.11%, -0.04%, -7.29%, and -10.96% [24]. Gaming Data - The National Press and Publication Administration issued 159 domestic and 7 imported game licenses in October. The top three iOS games as of October 23 were "Honor of Kings," "Genshin Impact: Sky Moon Song," and "Dungeon and Fighter: Origin" [25][28]. Film Data - The total box office for the week of October 18-24 was 230 million yuan, with "The Wandering Earth" leading at 47 million yuan, accounting for 20.4% of the weekly total [36]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on AI applications and cultural exports, particularly in gaming, IP, short dramas, and publishing sectors. Key companies to watch include Giant Network, Kyeing Network, and Perfect World [5][39].

Industry Overview - In October, a total of 166 games received approval for release, with 159 being domestic games and 7 imported games, marking the highest number of new game approvals in recent years [3] - The actual sales revenue of the Chinese gaming market for Q3 (July-September) was 880.26 billion yuan, representing a quarter-on-quarter growth of 6.96% but a year-on-year decline of 4.08% [5] Domestic Companies - NetEase's head of the tenth division, Li Kaiming, announced his departure to pursue entrepreneurship, with the company confirming that his exit will not affect the studio's operations [6] - Tencent announced that "Honor of Kings World" is set to be released in spring 2026 [6] International Developments - A report indicated that 26% of European developers faced layoffs in 2025, with 13% leaving the gaming industry altogether [8] - The price of in-game items in "CS2" plummeted following a patch that expanded the trade-up system, with the price of the Karambit Doppler skin dropping from over $2,700 to around $1,100 [10] - Koei Tecmo Holdings significantly raised its profit forecast for the first half of the 2025 fiscal year (April to September), expecting both ordinary profit and net profit to double, driven by strong game sales and effective cost control [11]

Industry Overview - In October, a total of 166 games received approval for release, with 159 domestic games and 7 imported games, marking the highest number of new approvals in recent years [3] - The actual sales revenue of the Chinese gaming market for Q3 (July-September) was 880.26 billion yuan, representing a quarter-on-quarter growth of 6.96% but a year-on-year decline of 4.08% [5] Domestic Companies - Among the 159 approved domestic games, 155 are mobile games, 12 are client games, and 5 are web games, with notable titles including "Survival 33 Days" by 37 Interactive Entertainment and "Tomorrow's Prologue" by Meituan [4] - NetEase's Li Kaiming, head of the tenth division, announced his departure to pursue entrepreneurship, with the company confirming that his exit will not affect the studio's operations [6] - Tencent announced that "Honor of Kings World" is set to launch in spring 2026 [6] International Developments - A recent report indicated that 26% of European developers faced layoffs in 2025, with 13% leaving the gaming industry altogether [8] - The price of in-game items for "CS2" plummeted following a patch that expanded the trade-up system, with the price of the Karambit Doppler skin dropping from over $2,700 to around $1,100 [10] - Koei Tecmo Holdings significantly raised its profit forecast for the first half of the 2025 fiscal year (April to September), expecting both ordinary profit and net profit to double, driven by strong game sales and effective cost control [11]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the approval of 166 games in October 2025, maintaining a high level of game approvals, which is significant for the gaming industry in China [2][5]. Game Approval Summary - In October 2025, a total of 159 domestic games and 7 imported games received approval, totaling 166 games [2]. - Among the 159 domestic games, 73 are categorized as mobile-casual games, and 70 are categorized as mobile games, with the rest falling into various categories [2]. Company Performance and Market Trends - Several listed companies have products that received approval, including 37 Interactive Entertainment's "Survival for 33 Days," Kying Network's "Blue Moon Hero," and Glacier Network's "I Want to Be the Ancestor" [5]. - The total number of games approved in 2025 has reached 1,440, with 1,354 being domestic and 86 imported [5]. - The A-share gaming sector has seen significant growth, with the Shenwan secondary gaming index rising approximately 66% year-to-date, ranking eighth among all Shenwan secondary industries [5]. Stock Performance - Multiple gaming stocks have doubled in price this year, with ST Huatuo up 271.6%, Giant Network up 219.47%, and G-bits up 119.05% [7]. - Other companies like Glacier Network, ST Kevin, Kying Network, and Star Shine Entertainment have also seen increases exceeding 70% [7]. Earnings Forecasts - G-bits expects a net profit of 1.032 billion to 1.223 billion yuan for the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 57% to 86% [7]. - Glacier Network anticipates a net profit of 435 million to 565 million yuan, indicating a turnaround from losses in the previous year [7].

Core Insights - The gaming industry in China is experiencing a high prosperity cycle, with a significant number of game approvals indicating strong demand and supply dynamics [1][2] - The approval of 159 domestic games in October is the second highest this year, reflecting ongoing growth in the sector [1] - The A-share gaming sector has seen substantial stock price increases, with the Shenwan secondary gaming index rising approximately 66% year-to-date [2] Domestic Game Approvals - In October, 159 domestic games received approval, with 73 categorized as mobile-casual and 70 as mobile games [1] - Notable games include Tencent's "八荒奇旅," 37 Interactive's "生存33天," and others from companies like ST中青宝 and 祖龙娱乐 [1] Import Game Approvals - Seven new imported games received approval in October, including "蜡笔小新" from 游族网络 [2] - The total number of game approvals this year has reached 1,441, maintaining a consistent monthly issuance rate [2] Market Performance - The gaming sector has shown strong performance, with several stocks doubling in value this year, including 巨人网络 and 吉比特 [2] - The current valuation of the gaming sector remains attractive, prompting recommendations for increased investment [1][2] Future Growth Projections - Omdia forecasts that the total revenue from game subscriptions in the Asia-Pacific region will grow from $6.5 billion to $9.4 billion between 2025 and 2029 [3] - The domestic self-developed online game market saw a 19% year-on-year growth in the first half of this year, indicating a robust recovery [3] Company Performance Highlights - Tencent reported a revenue of 364.53 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, with a 13.7% year-on-year increase, driven by its gaming and social services [4] - 祖龙娱乐 achieved a revenue of 634 million yuan in the first half of 2025, a 44.4% increase compared to the same period last year, attributed to new game launches [4] - 友谊时光's revenue reached 623 million yuan in the first half of 2025, marking an 18.5% increase, with a significant turnaround in profitability [5] - 网易 reported a net income of 56.72 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, with its gaming segment showing stable performance and growth [6]

Core Insights - The Chinese gaming industry is experiencing a high prosperity cycle, with 159 domestic games approved in October, indicating strong demand and supply dynamics [1][2] - The A-share gaming sector has shown significant growth, with the Shenwan secondary gaming index up approximately 66% year-to-date, ranking eighth among all Shenwan secondary industries [2] - The approval of new game titles, including major releases from Tencent and other listed companies, suggests ongoing innovation and market expansion [1][4][5] Domestic Game Approvals - In October, 159 domestic games received approval, with 73 categorized as mobile-casual and 70 as mobile games [1] - Notable titles include Tencent's "八荒奇旅," 37 Interactive's "生存33天," and others from companies like ST中青宝 and 祖龙娱乐 [1][4] Import Game Approvals - Seven new imported games received approval in October, including "蜡笔小新" from 游族网络 [2] - The total number of game approvals for the year has reached 1,441, maintaining a steady monthly issuance rate [2] Market Performance - The gaming sector has seen substantial stock price increases, with companies like 巨人网络 and 吉比特 experiencing over 210% and 110% growth, respectively [2] - The current valuation of the gaming sector remains attractive, prompting recommendations for increased investment [2] Future Growth Projections - Omdia forecasts that the total revenue from gaming subscriptions in the Asia-Pacific region will grow from $6.5 billion in 2025 to $9.4 billion by 2029, outpacing global averages [3] - The domestic self-developed online gaming market saw a 19% year-on-year growth in the first half of the year, indicating a robust recovery and innovation cycle [3] Company Performance Highlights - Tencent reported a revenue of 364.53 billion yuan in the first half of the year, with a 13.7% year-on-year increase, driven by its gaming and social services segment [4] - 祖龙娱乐 achieved a revenue of 634 million yuan in the first half of 2025, a 44.4% increase compared to the previous year, attributed to new game launches [4] - 友谊时光's revenue reached 623 million yuan, marking an 18.5% increase, with a significant turnaround in profitability [5] - 网易 reported a net income of 56.72 billion yuan, with gaming-related services showing a 13.7% year-on-year growth [6]