Industry Overview - The gaming industry is defined as an ecosystem economy centered around "content + technology + users," encompassing activities such as development, marketing, sales, and after-sales of video games [1] - Key participants include game developers, operators, distributors, and players, operating across various platforms like PC, mobile devices, and consoles [1] Industry Chain Analysis - The upstream of the gaming industry includes IP owners and game developers, while the midstream consists of comprehensive game publishers, and the downstream involves terminal distribution and marketing channels [2] Industry Development History - The development of China's gaming industry can be divided into several key stages: 1. **Emergence and Initial Phase (1980s-2000s)**: Introduction of arcade games and home consoles [5] 2. **Exploration and Growth Phase (2003-2015)**: Rise of domestic online games supported by national policies [5] 3. **Full Explosion and Mobile Transformation (2015-2020)**: Transition to mobile gaming with the growth of 4G users [6] 4. **High-Quality Development and Adjustment Phase (2021-Present)**: Shift towards regulated growth and overseas markets [6][7] Current Industry Status - The gaming market in China is rebounding, with a projected market size of 325.78 billion yuan in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 7.53% [9] - After a brief decline from 2020 to 2022, the market is expected to grow at over 7% annually, reaching 168 billion yuan by mid-2025 [9] - Overseas revenue for Chinese gaming is projected to reach 18.557 billion USD in 2024, marking a historical high with a year-on-year increase of 13.39% [10] Market Segmentation - **Mobile Gaming**: Expected revenue of 238.217 billion yuan in 2024, with a growth rate of 5.01% [14] - **Web Games**: Revenue is declining, with a projected 2.203 billion yuan in 2025, down 5.87% [19] - **Client Games**: Stable growth with a projected revenue of 35.403 billion yuan in 2025, up 4.86% [20] - **Console Games**: Rapid growth with a projected revenue of 1.034 billion yuan in 2025, up 29.78% [23] Competitive Landscape - The majority of listed gaming companies are concentrated in developed regions like Guangdong and Beijing, with Guangdong having the highest number at 27 [24] - The market is fragmented, but major players like Tencent and NetEase dominate, accounting for 60% of the market capitalization of listed gaming companies [27] Future Development Trends - The gaming industry in China is expected to continue growing, with a market size projected to exceed 360 billion yuan by 2025 and potentially reach 500 billion yuan by 2030 [33] - There is a trend towards deeper integration of traditional culture into gaming products, supported by favorable policies [34]

Core Insights - The article highlights the growing prominence of non-listed gaming companies in the mobile gaming sector, particularly in China, as they increasingly compete with established listed companies like Tencent and NetEase [1] - The data from SensorTower indicates that the top 80 mobile game publishers in China for the first half of 2025 include 27 listed companies, with many non-listed companies showing strong performance, especially in the overseas market [1] - Notably, the revenue figures for listed companies are significantly understated in the SensorTower data, as it does not account for income from the Chinese Android market [1] Company Performance - Companies like Diandian Interactive and Jiangyu Interactive have made significant strides in the SLG (Simulation Game) category, with Diandian's "Whiteout Survival" maintaining a top position in overseas mobile game revenue [6][20] - Mihayou continues to dominate the ACG (Anime, Comic, and Game) sector with titles like "Genshin Impact" and "Honkai: Star Rail," although there are no new product announcements yet [8] - Lemon Microfun has seen success with its Merge-2 games, contributing significantly to its revenue, with "Gossip Harbor" and "Seaside Escape" being major hits [9] Market Trends - The article notes a trend of non-listed companies focusing on niche markets, such as female-oriented games by Paper Games and casual games by companies like Damo Longtu [1][14] - The performance of SLG games remains strong, with companies like FunPlus and Lilith Games launching new titles that have gained traction in overseas markets [16][18] - The gaming landscape is evolving, with companies like ByteDance expanding their gaming portfolio through acquisitions and new game launches, indicating a competitive environment [12][13] Revenue Insights - The revenue contributions of various companies are detailed, with Diandian Interactive reporting $1.49 billion in H1 2025, while Lemon Microfun reported $1.11 billion [6][9] - The article emphasizes that many non-listed companies are achieving substantial revenue growth, particularly in the overseas market, which is becoming increasingly important for their overall performance [1][20] - Companies like Tap4Fun and IGG are also highlighted for their successful SLG titles, contributing significantly to their revenue streams [34][36]

Development History and Market Size - The development of domestic games going overseas has gone through four key stages: pre-2012 trial in Southeast Asia with PC games; 2012-2018 explosion of SLG mobile games; post-2018 entry into a full-category era; and 2024 marked by the release of a landmark AAA title, "Black Myth: Wukong," leading a new phase of cultural export [1][6][21] - By 2024, China's self-developed games' overseas revenue reached $18.557 billion, accounting for approximately 11% of the global market share, demonstrating strong growth momentum [1][5][21] Regional Market Structure - The global market shows a "core stable volume, emerging incremental" pattern, with the US, Japan, and South Korea contributing 57.27% of revenue, but with divergent growth rates (South Korea growing rapidly, the US stagnating) [1][6] - Europe has become the "fourth pole" market with a scale of €24.5 billion, while Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America represent significant emerging incremental markets [1][6][21] Hardware Ecosystem and Cultural Preferences - The share of mobile games in China (73.13%) is significantly higher than the global average (52.25%), leading to a focus on mobile games for overseas expansion, with potential opportunities in console games in the future [2][7] - Game type preferences are heavily influenced by regional cultures: the US leads in gambling games (28.9% revenue), Europe prefers SLG (33.7%), and Japan dominates in RPGs (52% share) [2][7] Industry Chain Collaboration and Corporate Strategies - The overseas industry chain has formed a three-layer system of "R&D-localization-channels," with companies possessing full-chain capabilities adopting a "R&D-operation integration" model, retaining over 70% of revenue [3][6] - Leading companies like Tencent and NetEase diversify their product lines to mitigate risks, while others like Lilith focus on vertical tracks, with single products contributing over 80% of revenue [3][6] Business Models and Emerging Opportunities - Product positioning determines the profit model, with high-cost projects relying on direct user payments, while lighter games bind deeply with traffic platforms for ad monetization [3][6] - To break growth bottlenecks, companies need to focus on emerging markets (Southeast Asia's user base, Middle East's payment power, and Latin America's casual gaming demand) and localize deeply [3][6] Market Trends and Future Outlook - The game export process is now seen as a key pillar of digital trade globalization, with significant financial service opportunities arising from the robust demand in mature markets like the US, Japan, and South Korea, as well as emerging markets [5][6] - Future trends include the export of high-quality "flagship products," capital outflows through mergers and acquisitions, and the export of a complete soft and hardware ecosystem [5][6][27]