Core Insights - The mobile gaming market in October 2025 saw significant innovations in gameplay, particularly with classic IP adaptations, leading to breakthroughs in various sub-genres [1] Download Rankings - "Delta Action" topped the download chart for October, followed by "Valorant: Source Action" and "Honor of Kings" in second and third place respectively [1] - Six new games entered the download Top 30, including "Plants vs. Zombies 3," "Destiny: Stars," and "Ember" [1] - "Plants vs. Zombies 3," a highly anticipated title, achieved over 18 million pre-registrations prior to its launch on September 26, showcasing its strong IP appeal [1][3] Gameplay Innovations - "Plants vs. Zombies 3" introduced new gameplay elements such as "Element Evolution," allowing players to combine elements with traditional plants to create "Element Plants" with special abilities [3] - The game also features a new "Nut Defense Line" mode, enhancing tactical freedom for players [3] Revenue Rankings - "Honor of Kings" ranked first in revenue, followed by "Delta Action" and "Dungeon & Fighter: Origin," which rose four places to third [7] - "Dungeon & Fighter: Origin" successfully attracted both returning and new players with its recent updates, including a new character class and dungeon [7] New Entries in Revenue Rankings - Five new games entered the revenue Top 30, including "JJ Dou Di Zhu," "Rate of the Land," and "QQ Speed" [9] - "Rate of the Land" celebrated its tenth anniversary with significant in-game events and collaborations, boosting its market presence [9] Industry Trends - The trend of lightweight SLG games is gaining traction, with "Rate of the Land" launching a mini-game version to tap into the growing mini-game market [11] - The game has successfully integrated cultural elements through collaborations with museums and other cultural institutions, enhancing its appeal [12] Company Developments - Yishijie celebrated its 13th anniversary, evolving from an early industry explorer to a comprehensive game enterprise with a global market presence [14] - The company has multiple titles generating over 100 million in monthly revenue and is actively expanding into overseas markets [16]

Core Insights - The report by Qimai Data highlights the top mobile games for October 2025, showcasing both download and revenue rankings, with Tencent's games dominating the revenue chart [1][2]. Download Rankings - "Delta Action" topped the download chart for October, followed by "Valorant: Source Action" and "Honor of Kings" in second and third places respectively [1]. - Six new games entered the download rankings, including "Plants vs. Zombies 3," which launched on September 26, 2025, and achieved over 18 million pre-registrations [1]. Revenue Rankings - Tencent's "Honor of Kings" ranked first in revenue, with "Delta Action" in second and "Dungeon & Fighter: Origin" rising four places to third [1][2]. - The revenue rankings featured a total of 12 games from Tencent and 5 from NetEase, indicating Tencent's strong market presence [2]. Game Categories - The majority of the games in the rankings were action games, with 9 entries, followed by adventure games with 4 entries [2]. - The new entries in the revenue rankings included five games, with NetEase's "Rate of the Land" celebrating its tenth anniversary and maintaining market interest through events and updates [3]. Market Trends - There is a growing trend among developers to explore lightweight versions of heavy SLG games due to rising traffic costs and the rapid growth of the mini-game market [3]. - Yishijie, a key player in the simulation and management game sector, has successfully launched multiple products in the mini-game space, achieving significant revenue milestones [3].

Core Insights - The report by Qimai Data highlights the top mobile games for October 2025, showcasing both download and revenue rankings, with Tencent's games dominating the revenue chart [1][2]. Download Rankings - "Delta Action" topped the download chart for October, followed by "Valorant: Source Action" and "Honor of Kings" in second and third places respectively [1]. - Six new games entered the download rankings, including "Plants vs. Zombies 3," which launched on September 26, 2025, and achieved over 18 million pre-registrations, indicating strong IP appeal [1]. Revenue Rankings - Tencent's "Honor of Kings" ranked first in revenue, with "Delta Action" in second and "Dungeon & Fighter: Origin" rising four places to third [1][2]. - The revenue rankings featured a total of 12 games from Tencent and 5 from NetEase, with action games being the most represented category [2]. New Game Releases - Five new games entered the revenue rankings in October, including "JJ Dou Di Zhu," "Rate of the Land," and "QQ Racing" [3]. - NetEase's "Rate of the Land" celebrated its tenth anniversary with promotional activities, contributing to its rising sales ranking [3]. Industry Trends - There is a growing trend among developers to explore lightweight versions of heavy SLG games due to rising traffic costs and the rapid growth of the mini-game market [3]. - Yishijie, a key player in the simulation and management game sector, has successfully launched mini-games and is expanding its overseas market presence [3].

Core Insights - Multiple games from NetEase have experienced service interruptions on the OPPO channel, affecting players significantly [2] - The cessation of services began last year with "Onmyoji: Yokai House" and has continued with several other titles, including major products like "Dream of the Westward Journey" and "The Last of Us" [2] - OPPO's customer service indicated that the service interruptions are due to the expiration of the partnership with NetEase, with no current plans for renewal [2] Industry Analysis - The high revenue-sharing model between game developers and channel providers in China, which can reach up to 50%, is significantly higher than the 30% seen in overseas markets, potentially contributing to the termination of partnerships [2] - NetEase's CEO expressed dissatisfaction with the high revenue-sharing rates during a financial call, highlighting that the current model is detrimental to the industry ecosystem [2]

Core Viewpoint - The ongoing conflict between game developers and distribution channels, particularly regarding the withdrawal of multiple NetEase games from the OPPO platform, highlights a significant shift in the gaming industry dynamics, driven by cost issues associated with Android distribution channels [1][2][3] Group 1: Game Withdrawals - Multiple NetEase games have been removed from the OPPO channel, including titles like "Onmyoji: Yokai House" and "Onmyoji: Card Game," with the latest being "Nirvana in Fire" and "Pro Evolution Soccer" [2] - The trend of withdrawing games from OPPO has escalated from smaller titles last year to major flagship products this year, indicating a broader industry shift [2] Group 2: Industry Dynamics - Analysts suggest that the era of distribution channels charging exorbitant fees is coming to an end, as game developers seek to optimize their operational strategies [3] - The situation reflects a growing trend in the gaming industry where developers are reassessing their partnerships with distribution platforms due to financial pressures [2][3]

Core Viewpoint - OPPO has ceased cooperation with NetEase for several games, leading to multiple game shutdowns on the OPPO platform, with no current plans for restoration [1][2][4]. Group 1: Game Shutdowns - Numerous NetEase games have stopped operating on OPPO's platform, including popular titles like "Dream of Jianghu" and "Onmyoji: Yokai House" [2][4]. - The shutdowns began in November 2022 and continued into 2025, with several major games announcing their exit from the OPPO platform [4]. Group 2: Company Responses - OPPO customer service confirmed the cessation of certain games due to the end of cooperation with NetEase, but did not provide details on potential partnerships with other game developers [1]. - As of the latest updates, neither OPPO nor NetEase has issued a unified statement regarding the operational strategy changes [6]. Group 3: Industry Analysis - The high revenue-sharing model of traditional Android channels, which can reach up to 50%, has been a limiting factor for game developers' profit margins [6]. - As NetEase and other game developers grow, they are increasingly negotiating better terms with distribution channels to reduce reliance on traditional platforms [6]. Group 4: Financial Performance - NetEase reported a net income of 27.9 billion yuan for Q2 2025, a 9.4% year-on-year increase, but below market expectations [7]. - The net income from games and related services was 22.8 billion yuan, reflecting a 13.7% year-on-year growth [7]. - The net profit attributable to shareholders decreased to 8.6 billion yuan compared to 10.3 billion yuan in the previous quarter and 6.8 billion yuan in the same quarter last year [7].

Core Insights - A significant leadership shakeup is occurring at NetEase Games, with multiple high-ranking executives departing, indicating unprecedented organizational changes within the company [1][2][4][6] Group 1: Executive Departures - Li Kaiming, head of NetEase Interactive Entertainment's 10th division, announced his departure for personal career development, marking him as the third senior executive to leave this year [1][2] - Other notable departures include Lin Yunfeng, president of the Dreamland division, and Xuanzi, producer of "World Beyond," suggesting a trend of restructuring similar to last year's disbandment of the Tianxia division [2][4] - The departures reflect a broader trend of leadership changes, particularly among executives overseeing key business areas such as competitive gaming, anime, and strategy games [2][6] Group 2: Organizational Changes - The leadership changes are centered in the Guangzhou headquarters, which has historically been the cradle of NetEase's gaming empire, indicating a potential shift in focus towards the Hangzhou region [4][7][16] - The company is reportedly consolidating its operations in Hangzhou, where the LeiHuo division has seen significant success, contributing approximately 50% to NetEase's total gaming revenue [13][15] - The restructuring aims to inject new energy into the organization by replacing long-standing executives with younger leaders who can better connect with the new generation of players [17][22] Group 3: Performance and Challenges - The Guangzhou divisions have faced significant setbacks, including the failure of the martial arts open-world game "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," which suffered a nearly 80% user attrition rate post-launch [9][10] - The 10th division also faced challenges, with the cancellation of the single-player project "Ten Thousand People Long Song: Three Kingdoms" after four years of development due to poor market feedback [11] - In contrast, the Hangzhou operations have thrived, with successful titles like "Nirvana in Fire Mobile" and "Eternal Return" establishing a strong market presence and contributing to the company's growth [12][13] Group 4: Strategic Shifts - The leadership changes reflect a strategic pivot from product-driven approaches to data-driven methodologies, emphasizing user profiling, monetization models, and predictive analytics in game development [21][22] - The company is focusing on a dual strategy of "data + rhythm" to enhance resource efficiency and mitigate the impact of individual project failures on overall business performance [22] - This shift is expected to lead to a more structured approach to game development, ensuring that new projects are backed by comprehensive market analysis and clear commercialization paths [21][22]

Core Insights - Recent personnel changes at NetEase's gaming division indicate a significant restructuring, particularly affecting the Guangzhou-based teams, which have historically been crucial to the company's success [1][4][8] Group 1: Personnel Changes - NetEase's gaming division has experienced a series of high-profile departures, including the resignation of key figures such as Lin Yunfeng and Li Kaiming, indicating a potential shift in leadership strategy [2][6][16] - Li Kaiming announced his departure to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, countering rumors of being forced out, and confirmed he had initiated his resignation process earlier [7][11] - The restructuring is seen as part of a broader strategy by CEO Ding Lei to address underperformance in the Guangzhou region, which has seen a lack of successful new titles in recent years [9][28][36] Group 2: Performance and Strategy - The Guangzhou gaming units, particularly the Dream and Tenth divisions, have faced challenges with recent projects, including the underwhelming performance of "射雕" and the cancellation of "万民长歌：三国," leading to a reassessment of their operational effectiveness [29][31][34] - The restructuring aligns with a trend of shifting focus towards younger talent and innovative projects, as evidenced by the success of titles emerging from the Hangzhou-based teams [25][37] - NetEase's strategy appears to be moving away from its historical reliance on veteran teams in Guangzhou, as the company seeks to rejuvenate its game offerings and adapt to changing market demands [36][37] Group 3: Market Position - Despite the upheaval, NetEase continues to maintain a presence in the mobile gaming market, with "梦幻西游手游" and "率土之滨" remaining top performers, showcasing the enduring appeal of its legacy titles [10][34] - The company is actively recruiting in Hangzhou, indicating a strategic shift in its operational focus from Guangzhou to its headquarters, reflecting a broader trend in the gaming industry towards centralization of talent and resources [36]

Core Insights - Key personnel departures at NetEase Games indicate significant organizational adjustments within the company, with three core executives leaving in 2023, including game producer Li Kaiming, who left for personal career development reasons [1][2][10] - The departures reflect a broader shift in NetEase's strategy from a product-driven approach to a more centralized, data-driven model, aiming for standardized and scalable game development [10] Group 1: Executive Departures - Li Kaiming, producer of the successful game "Rate of the Land," is the third high-level executive to leave NetEase this year, following the exits of Shao Yun and Jin Tao, who managed key business segments in competitive, anime, and strategy games [1][2] - Jin Tao's departure to pursue a sequel to "Onmyoji" highlights the pressure on the Zen division, which has faced challenges in expanding new business lines and maintaining performance [6][8] Group 2: Company Strategy and Performance - NetEase's strategy is evolving towards a more centralized management model, with increased emphasis on resource allocation and project viability, as stated by CEO Ding Lei [5][10] - The company reported a net revenue of 22.8 billion yuan in Q2 2024, reflecting a 13% year-on-year growth but a 5% quarter-on-quarter decline, indicating a potential slowdown in growth momentum [10] - The shift in strategy aims to balance budget control with innovation, impacting the long-term development of core intellectual properties [10][11]

Core Insights - The head of NetEase Interactive Entertainment's Tenth Division, Li Kaiming, announced his departure from the company to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, citing long-term career development plans [1] - NetEase Interactive Entertainment's Tenth Division confirmed the departure, stating that the transition is proceeding smoothly and will not affect the studio's operations [1] - Li Kaiming joined NetEase in 2013 and was instrumental in the development of the successful game "Rate of the Land," which has been a significant title for the company, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year [1] Company Summary - Li Kaiming's resignation is attributed to personal reasons and a desire for new challenges in his career [1] - The company expressed gratitude for Li Kaiming's contributions to the team and wished him well in his future endeavors [1] - The Tenth Division is expected to continue its normal operations without disruption following the leadership change [1] Industry Context - "Rate of the Land" is recognized as a pioneering title in its genre, contributing to the growth of the "Rate of the Land-like" category in the gaming industry [1] - The departure of a key figure like Li Kaiming may signal potential shifts in the company's strategic direction or game development focus in the future [1]