Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the shift in the gaming industry from content-driven products to platform-driven products, highlighting the challenges faced by major game developers in launching new titles that replicate past successes [2][5]. Group 1: Industry Overview - In April 2025, 33 mobile game publishers generated $2 billion, capturing nearly 40% of global publisher revenue [5]. - The current market is characterized by a "mobile gaming small year," with new heavy mobile games failing to perform as expected due to a lack of innovative content [5][6]. Group 2: Company Strategies - Major companies like Tencent are focusing on long-term operations of flagship products, such as "Honor of Kings," which saw a 71% increase in global revenue in April [6]. - NetEase is emphasizing self-developed games and international expansion, as seen with "Marvel Duel," which topped the Steam global sales chart after seasonal updates [7]. - MiHoYo maintains its position in the rankings through flagship projects like "Genshin Impact," which significantly boosted overseas revenue by nearly 200% [7]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The gaming industry is witnessing a trend where casual and hyper-casual games are gaining traction, attracting a broader user base beyond traditional gamers [8]. - The competition in the overseas market is intense, with higher performance expectations for products compared to the domestic market [9]. - Smaller game developers are finding success with light games, although the profit margins and return on investment timelines are challenging for larger companies [9].

Core Viewpoint - The recent updates of fishing gameplay in popular anime-style games like "Zhongqu Zero" and "Mingchao" have sparked discussions and comparisons among players, highlighting a trend in the gaming industry towards simplified mini-games as a means to engage users and provide rewards [2][4][9]. Group 1: Game Updates and Comparisons - Both "Zhongqu Zero" and "Mingchao" introduced fishing-themed activities within a day of each other, leading to player comparisons and discussions across both domestic and international platforms [2][6]. - Players have criticized the fishing mini-games for being unoriginal and lacking depth, with some expressing disappointment over the simplistic gameplay mechanics [7][30]. - The trend of integrating fishing mechanics into anime-style games reflects a broader industry shift towards casual gaming experiences, as seen in other titles like "Infinite Nuan Nuan" and "Dust White Zone" [9][11]. Group 2: Mini-Game Design and Player Experience - The fishing mini-games in "Zhongqu Zero" and "Mingchao" are designed to be easy and accessible, catering to players who prefer to complete tasks quickly for rewards rather than engaging in challenging gameplay [19][28]. - Both games utilize narrative elements and popular characters to enhance player engagement, but the mini-games themselves are often perceived as repetitive and lacking excitement [31][32]. - The simplification of mini-game mechanics is a response to player feedback, aiming to avoid frustration while still providing a sense of accomplishment through rewards [20][36]. Group 3: Industry Trends and Business Models - The prevalence of mini-games in anime-style games is linked to the industry's reliance on gacha mechanics, where players are incentivized to engage in repetitive tasks to earn resources for character upgrades [35][39]. - The design of mini-games serves as a tool for resource distribution, balancing the need for player engagement with the necessity of maintaining a sense of value in the rewards earned [36][37]. - The ongoing challenge for developers is to innovate within the constraints of the gacha model, as the current approach often leads to a cycle of uninteresting gameplay experiences [38][41].

Core Viewpoint - The 二次元 (2D) gaming sector is experiencing significant challenges, with a notable decline in sales and a potential market contraction by 2025, despite the overall growth in the Chinese gaming industry [2][8][38] Industry Overview - The Chinese gaming market reached a record high of 325.783 billion yuan in 2023, with 674 million users [2][4] - While other gaming segments like console and esports saw substantial growth, the 二次元 segment faced a sales decline of 7.44%, with total revenue at 29.348 billion yuan, ranking low compared to other gaming categories [5][8] Market Dynamics - The 二次元 gaming category accounted for nearly 30% of the 114 games that were shut down in 2024, indicating a lack of sustainability in this segment [8][12] - The number of new 二次元 games launching in 2025 is expected to be significantly lower than in previous years, suggesting a slowdown in innovation and product development [13][14] Competitive Landscape - The market is increasingly dominated by a few major players like 米哈游 (miHoYo), with smaller developers struggling to compete due to high operational costs and a saturated market [19][34] - The majority of 二次元 games rely on similar gameplay mechanics, with a significant portion of revenue coming from a small number of successful titles [16][34] Development Challenges - The 二次元 genre requires continuous content updates, which can be resource-intensive and lead to creative burnout among developers [27][30] - The high entry cost for new players and the complexity of long-term engagement pose additional challenges for player retention and acquisition [30] Consumer Behavior - Despite the challenges, the willingness to pay among 二次元 gamers remains relatively high, with top titles achieving a payment rate exceeding 20% [34] - However, the payment models are becoming increasingly standardized, limiting innovation in monetization strategies [34][38]