Core Insights - The 22nd ChinaJoy, themed "Gathering What You Love," attracted 743 exhibitors, showcasing the integration of technology in reshaping entertainment experiences [1][3] Industry Recovery and Atmosphere - The high attendance at ChinaJoy is linked to the recovery of the gaming industry, with the domestic gaming market generating actual sales revenue of 168 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 14.08% [3][6] - The number of gaming users reached approximately 679 million, marking a 0.72% increase, both figures setting historical highs [3][6] - Esports and mini-program games are significant contributors to this growth, with esports revenue at 80.645 billion yuan, accounting for nearly half of the total gaming market revenue [3][6] - Mini-program games generated 23.276 billion yuan in revenue, with a remarkable year-on-year growth rate of 40.20%, becoming a key growth driver [3][6] Highlights from Exhibitors - Major domestic companies like Tencent, NetEase, and Perfect World showcased multiple esports products, while international firms like Blizzard and Ubisoft presented their esports IPs [3][6] - Century Huatong featured its popular mini-program game "Endless Winter," which has over 54 million monthly active users, in a unique exhibition area [4][6] Single-Player Game Popularity - The actual sales revenue for domestic console games reached 1.034 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 29.78%, driven by titles like "Black Myth: Wukong" [6][10] - The presence of single-player games has notably increased at this year's ChinaJoy, with several high-profile titles receiving dedicated exhibition spaces [10][11] AI Integration in Gaming - ChinaJoy 2025 highlighted the deep integration of AI in gaming, with companies like NetEase showcasing AI interactive experiences and dynamic narrative generation [12][13] - AI NPCs are designed to better understand player intentions and provide real-time responses, enhancing immersion and user experience [13][14] - The event also featured a "Smart Entertainment Robot" area, indicating a growing interest in the intersection of gaming and robotics [14][16]

Group 1: Game Releases - Tencent's new MMO "Star Resonance" officially launched on July 17, 2023, and topped the iOS free chart on its opening day [1] - "I Am Surrounded by Beautiful Women! 2" was released on Steam on July 17, 2023, maintaining romance simulation elements while focusing on ancient costume comedy and suspense [3] - "The Age of Discovery: Legends" was launched on July 17, 2023, allowing players to navigate as sailors during the 16th-century Age of Discovery [5] - Nintendo's "Donkey Kong: Bananarama" was released on July 17, 2023, receiving an average score of 91 from 87 media outlets on Metacritic, with IGN giving it a perfect score [7] - "Lily's "Far Light 84" began its third testing phase on July 18, 2023, featuring first-person shooting and multi-civilization warfare gameplay [9] Group 2: Industry News - Century Huatong released its 2025 first-half performance data on July 14, 2023, reporting a consolidated revenue of approximately 17 billion, a year-on-year increase of about 83.27%, and an expected net profit of 2.4 billion to 3 billion, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 107.20% to 159.00% [15] - The Shanghai Game Industry Report for the first half of 2025 was published on July 15, 2023, indicating that the overall sales revenue of online games in Shanghai reached approximately 83.28 billion, a year-on-year increase of 10.80%, with domestic revenue at 68.74 billion and overseas revenue at 14.55 billion, both achieving double-digit growth [17]

Core Viewpoint - The summer gaming season of 2025 is set to be unprecedentedly competitive, with over 20 new domestic games scheduled for release in July, highlighting the industry's peak period due to increased user engagement during student vacations [2][11]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The summer season is traditionally a golden period for the gaming industry, with significant competition expected as major players like Tencent and NetEase launch products around the same time [2][4]. - The global gaming market also experiences a peak during this period, with Chinese game developers focusing on key products for overseas markets, particularly in Asia [2][9]. Group 2: Major Releases and Strategies - Tencent's strategy includes a dual approach with the launch of "Carbon Island" on July 2, which integrates low-carbon concepts into gameplay, and "Star Resonance" on July 17, a major title in the anime genre [5][6]. - NetEase is heavily investing in PC and overseas markets, with the release of "Uncharted Star Abyss" on July 17, developed by a studio founded by Blizzard's co-founder [5][6]. - The direct competition between NetEase's "Uncharted Star Abyss" and Tencent's "Star Resonance" on the same day is anticipated to be a significant highlight of the July gaming market [6]. Group 3: Trends in Game Development - The new game lineup for July reflects two major industry trends: the continued focus on core categories by major companies and a notable recovery in the PC gaming market [9][10]. - The revival of the PC gaming market is attributed to factors such as the normalization of game licensing, the recovery of internet cafes, and the increase in cross-platform games [2][9]. - The emergence of several new PC titles indicates a shift towards differentiated product offerings, as companies seek to provide stronger gaming experiences compared to the saturated mobile gaming market [9][10]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - The competition among major gaming companies is expected to intensify as they launch multiple products, leading to increased marketing efforts and potential user acquisition challenges [8][9]. - The upcoming releases from both large and small developers aim to capture user attention through innovative gameplay, technological upgrades, and thematic breakthroughs [11].

Core Viewpoint - The gaming industry is experiencing a surge in new game releases during the summer of 2025, driven by the availability of university students and major events like ChinaJoy, which encourages companies to showcase their new titles [3][5]. Game Releases - In June, 20 new games were launched in China, with July seeing over 20 additional titles set to release, including Tencent's "Star Resonance" and NetEase's "Unowned Star Abyss" [4][6]. - Notable games include "Limitless Machine" by Xishanju and "Carbon Island" by Tencent, both released on July 2, marking the start of the summer gaming season [4]. Market Dynamics - The gaming stock market has shown volatility, with significant gains on July 8, as companies like Iceberg Network and Giant Network saw increases of over 10% and 5% respectively [3][8]. - The approval of 757 game licenses in the first half of the year, including a record 158 in June, indicates a stable trend in the gaming industry [8]. Nostalgia and Updates - Established games are also seeing updates and new versions, such as the nostalgic version of "Fantasy Westward Journey," which has attracted significant player interest, leading to server congestion [6][7]. - The strategy of updating older games helps maintain player engagement and ensures stable revenue for gaming companies [7]. Policy Support - Various local governments have introduced supportive policies for the gaming industry, focusing on promoting game exports and integrating AI technology [8]. - The trend of regular game license approvals is expected to continue, fostering a more robust gaming environment [8]. Industry Trends - The gaming industry is witnessing a diversification of genres, with companies exploring new gameplay mechanics and AI integration [9]. - The emergence of party games like "Goose Duck" is expected to intensify competition among major players like NetEase and Tencent [9].

Group 1 - Lilith Games' self-developed shooting game "Far Light 84" is scheduled for a July test, which will be available on both PC and mobile platforms, potentially attracting market attention towards the "gaming + AI + esports" concept [1] - NetEase's turn-based pet-catching mobile game "Spirit Beast Adventure" will begin testing on June 19, featuring a unique blend of "vertical screen + pet-catching + home management" gameplay, targeting casual players and aiming for rapid annual revenue growth if a stable user base is formed [2] - Sunborn Network's "Girls' Frontline" issued an apology for server issues experienced after its June 12 launch, attributing the problems to an underestimation of server capacity, which may weaken market confidence in its future products [3]

Core Insights - The gaming companies in Shanghai appear to be recovering, signaling a potential new phase for the industry [1][26] Group 1: Company Performance - Eagle's new game "Pom Pom" has achieved significant success, ranking Top 3 in China and Top 10 globally on Steam with an 88% approval rating [1][2][3] - Paper Games has seen a remarkable turnaround, with its flagship store topping the sales chart on Tmall during the "618" shopping festival [5][6] - The game "Love and Deep Space" has shown strong performance, with projected revenue exceeding 6 billion yuan across all platforms in 2024 [6][7] - Heartbeat Games has reported a nearly 70% year-on-year revenue increase, reaching 3.3 billion yuan in 2024, driven by successful titles [10][12] Group 2: Industry Trends - The gaming industry in Shanghai is experiencing a collective improvement, which may indicate the beginning of a recovery cycle [26] - Despite the positive trends, many companies remain cautious regarding project launches and hiring, with a significant oversupply of talent in the job market [24][25] - The past two years saw a wave of layoffs and project cancellations across the industry, but the current signs of recovery suggest a potential shift in the market dynamics [23][26]

Core Insights - The article discusses the transition of Lilith Games with its new game "Farlight 84," which is seen as a crucial response to the company's shift towards achieving a high Daily Active User (DAU) count after the failure of "Party Life" [1] - "Farlight 84" is an export-to-domestic game that has undergone significant adjustments and is expected to launch in the summer, marking the final sprint phase [1] Industry Context - The current leading trend in the domestic FPS market is the "mole digging" gameplay, with "Delta Force" continuing to dominate [2] - "Farlight 84" focuses on the battle royale genre, which was once the most popular direction six years ago but has since evolved significantly, as seen with games like "Peace Elite" that maintain longevity through fresh content [2] Challenges and Adjustments - The FPS genre is seen as a double-edged sword, offering substantial returns due to its global user base while also demanding high standards in design, technology, art, operations, and user ecology [3] - Lilith Games has faced challenges in its transition, having to adjust its direction multiple times, which has extended the development cycle of "Farlight 84" [4] - The game underwent a "reconstruction-level" change in systems and art resources after shifting focus from overseas to the domestic market, contributing to the prolonged development timeline [4] Market Strategy - The current market landscape for FPS games has limited competition for new products, allowing "Farlight 84" to adopt a strategy of competing against established titles [6] - Lilith Games aims to leverage design to break into the market while learning from the operational failures of "APEX," particularly regarding anti-cheat measures [6] - The company has implemented a self-developed anti-cheat system that can quickly respond to reports of cheating, which is crucial for maintaining game quality [6] User Engagement and Growth - "Farlight 84" has reportedly achieved over 1 million daily active users and 50 million registered users through natural growth during its overseas testing phase [9] - However, the game's overseas popularity may not significantly aid its domestic launch, as the PC gaming experience is generally superior, and mobile users tend to engage more with paid content [9] Future Outlook - Lilith Games is attempting to distance itself from a reliance on paid user acquisition, which has characterized its previous successes in card and SLG games [10] - The company is focused on creating a differentiated product through design, but faces challenges in execution, user engagement, and competition from established giants in the FPS market [12] - The upcoming summer launch of "Farlight 84" represents a critical moment for Lilith Games as it seeks to establish itself in a highly competitive environment [12]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges and developments of Lilith Games' tactical competitive game "Far Light 84," highlighting its transition from initial development to a more structured approach as it prepares for its domestic launch in China. Group 1: Project Background and Development - "Far Light 84" has been operating overseas for a year and a half before its domestic launch announcement, aiming to expand Lilith's user base and growth curve [2] - The project was initiated around 2020 as part of Lilith's "breaking the wall plan" to compete against Tencent and NetEase's dominance in the shooting game sector [2] - Initial development faced quality issues due to a lack of core talent and frequent changes in the development team, leading to a significant waste of time [3] Group 2: Technical and Market Challenges - The project switched from Unity to Unreal Engine 4 to enhance graphics quality for the domestic market, reflecting a shift in focus as it targets higher-end devices [3] - The game's initial innovative approach became misaligned with current market trends, resulting in a slower development pace compared to competitors [3] - The decision to undergo major system and gameplay changes for the domestic launch led to a decline in player numbers and daily active users (DAU) [4] Group 3: Resource Allocation and Expectations - Lilith Games did not invest heavily in the marketing of "Far Light 84," allowing for organic growth, and the project received significant autonomy in its development process [5] - The expected key performance indicators (KPIs) for the domestic launch are primarily focused on DAU, with a benchmark set against "Delta Force," which is considered achievable given the recent changes [5]