Group 1 - The gaming sector experienced a strong rally, with companies like Giant Network and Electric Soul Network hitting the daily limit, and Changqu Technology rising over 14% [1] - The approval of 130 domestic and 14 imported games in May marks a record high for monthly approvals in nearly two years, indicating a recovery in the industry [3] - Major companies such as Perfect World and Century Huatong have products that received approval, with Perfect World's "Yihuan" currently in development and expected to enter testing soon [3] Group 2 - The gaming market in China is projected to reach 27.351 billion yuan by April 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 21.93%, driven by mobile games and overseas revenue [3] - Long-term revenue growth is supported by established products like "Honor of Kings" and "Genshin Impact," highlighting the industry's healthy development trend [3] - Wanlian Securities suggests that the high volume of game approvals and diverse product types indicate a stable recovery in the industry, recommending attention to leading companies with strong product pipelines and R&D capabilities [4]

Core Insights - IGG has become more conservative after experiencing significant fluctuations in its business performance, with a revenue of over 5.7 billion HKD (approximately 5.2 billion RMB) last year, marking a 9% year-on-year growth, and a profit increase of 697% to 580 million HKD, compared to previous losses [1][27] - Despite the recovery, IGG's competitive edge is diminishing, as evidenced by its drop from around 15th to over 20th place in the global revenue rankings by Sensor Tower [1] Product Strategy - IGG maintains a testing rhythm of about 30 new products annually, shifting its focus back to the SLG genre, moving away from niche categories [3][4] - Over half of the new products tested in the past two years are SLG games, with three major upcoming titles: SLG "Project PSS," casual social game "Tycoon Master," and SLG "Frozen War" [4][20] - "Project PSS" is a significant investment, building on the previous title "Rebirth of Glory," which incorporates elements from top competitors while adding RTS features [4][5] Game Development - "Rebirth of Glory" features enhanced production mechanics and a more complex gameplay structure compared to its competitors, focusing on resource management and strategic gameplay [5][6] - IGG is also exploring various SLG gameplay innovations, including titles like "Dawn Gathering" and "Myco Citadel," which incorporate different thematic elements and gameplay styles [8][10] - The company is testing new SLG products that blend RPG elements and casual gameplay, indicating a shift towards integrating lighter mechanics into traditional SLG frameworks [18][20] Financial Performance - Despite last year's recovery, the revenue from the gaming segment has slightly declined due to the drop in income from "King of Kingdoms," indicating that the gaming business has not fully returned to growth [27][30] - The APP business has seen significant growth, with monthly active users increasing from 9.5 million in 2023 to 62 million in 2024, contributing to a revenue increase from 100 million HKD in 2022 to 1.09 billion HKD in 2024 [32] Market Position - IGG's anxiety about its market position is evident, as it struggles to find new hits that can surpass "King of Kingdoms," leading to a more cautious approach in product development [33] - The company is focusing on creating reliable products rather than taking risks on innovative but uncertain concepts, reflecting a strategic shift in response to market pressures [33]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that SLG (Simulation and Strategy Game) products have a long lifecycle and stable revenue, with successful SLG products contributing significantly to company performance. The global mobile gaming market has shown signs of improvement in 2024, with in-app purchase revenues rebounding [1] - In 2024, China's self-developed game export scale reached $18.556 billion, a year-on-year increase of 13.4%. Strategy games, including SLG, accounted for 41.38% of the top products, suggesting a market size of approximately $7.7 billion per year for strategy games [1] - The report suggests focusing on companies with strong R&D capabilities and quality product reserves in the SLG field, recommending companies such as ST Huatuo, Tencent, NetEase, 37 Interactive Entertainment, and Kaiying Network [1] Group 2 - The integration of various gameplay styles has attracted users and reduced customer acquisition costs. SLG games, characterized by construction and combat, have a high entry barrier for new players, making customer acquisition challenging. However, lighter gameplay can quickly convert users, enhancing acquisition efficiency [2] - The game "Kingshot" shows a clear growth trend and high monetization potential. Its combination of tower defense and SLG gameplay enhances user acquisition efficiency, and its early performance is comparable to "Whiteout Survival," indicating strong commercial potential [3]