①The first China International Game Developers Conference (CIGDC) will establish the Shanghai ‘Game Overseas Research Center’; ②According to Sensor Tower’s Store Intelligence platform, ST Huatong and 37 Interactive Entertainment Network Technology Group are among the top 30 in the June overseas game revenue rankings; ③Orient points out that policy support and incentives for overseas expansion have led to a continuous increase in the proportion of globalized products.
The Star Daily reported on July 15 that, according to Shangguan News, the first China International Game Developers Conference (CIGDC) will be held at the end of July during ChinaJoy. At the conference, the ‘One Country Pass’ guide for corporate overseas expansion will be released. The first batch this year will cover Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, and Finland, providing a basis for Shanghai-based game companies to develop their overseas strategies.
At the same time, the Shanghai ‘Game Overseas Research Center’ will be established at the conference, setting up a mechanism for sharing information on overseas policies and regulations, and improving the overseas risk warning system to assist companies in dealing with geopolitical, compliance, and other risks.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been clear support for the trend of game companies going overseas. In April, the State Council approved the ‘Work Plan for Accelerating the Comprehensive Pilot Program for Expanding Service Sector Opening,’ which outlines 155 pilot tasks, with a particular focus on the ‘game overseas’ business. The document states that the country will fully promote the upgrade of the game overseas strategy, focusing on cultivating the entire industry chain for game internationalization, including IP incubation, content development, global distribution, and overseas localization operations.
At the local level, on June 11, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce and 16 other departments issued the ‘Several Measures to Support Game Overseas Expansion,’ which mentions actively fostering market entities for game overseas expansion. A tiered cultivation plan for digital cultural enterprises will be implemented, with a reserve, cultivation, and enhancement of game companies, supporting them to grow stronger and expand internationally. On June 12, Zhang Hu, the Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor, stated at a press conference of the State Council Information Office that efforts will be made to build cross-border service and technology platforms, and to encourage the development of the game overseas business.
According to Sensor Tower’s Store Intelligence platform, several listed companies were among the top 30 in the June overseas game revenue rankings. Among them, the wholly-owned subsidiary of ST Huatong, DianDian Interactive, saw strong performance from its game ‘Whiteout Survival,’ ranking first in this month’s overseas mobile game revenue, with global cumulative revenue exceeding $28 billion. Its new 4X strategy game ‘Kingshot’ saw a 56% increase in June, following a doubling of revenue in May. Additionally, Tencent’s ‘PUBG,’ 37 Interactive Entertainment Network Technology Group’s ‘Puzzles & Survival,’ and NetEase’s ‘Knives Out’ also appeared on this list.
Source: Sensor Tower
The improved performance of game products directly boosted the company’s financial results: Last night, ST Huatong released its first-half 2025 earnings forecast, expecting net income attributable to shareholders of RMB 2.4 billion to RMB 3.0 billion, representing a year-over-year growth of 107.20% to 159%. ST Huatong stated that during the reporting period, the company’s revenue and profit both achieved significant year-over-year growth, mainly due to the outstanding performance of its subsidiary, DianDian Interactive, which maintained a steady growth trend in both domestic and overseas markets.
In the secondary market, the share prices of relevant companies have continued to rise. According to data from Choice, out of the 23 gaming companies included in the statistics, 19 have seen their share prices increase since the beginning of the year, with 11 of them experiencing growth exceeding 30%. ST Huatong, Giant Network Group, and Glacier Network have seen increases of 153.11%, 103.86%, and 101.72%, respectively.
Giant Network Group stated during an institutional research visit on May 16 that the revenue of ‘Super Sus’ has repeatedly set new records, with a year-on-year growth of over 50%. The game has solidified its position as a leading brand in the social deduction game category in Southeast Asia and South America, and is steadily expanding into the United States and Europe. The company will continue to advance its Global Strategy, extending its overseas business to more regions and continuously expanding its revenue scale.
Orient pointed out that the market share of Chinese mobile games in the overseas market has increased from 22% in 2018 to 28% in 2024. In 2024, among the top 16 new releases, Chinese developers are expected to occupy 12 spots. Policy support and incentives for overseas expansion have led to a continuous increase in the proportion of global products. Prioritizing overseas expansion before obtaining game licenses enhances the risk resistance of the products.
The institution further noted that with the annual increase in the development budget for Chinese mobile games, some top-tier projects have surpassed the budgets of traditional AAA console games. It is foreseeable that the proportion of multi-platform products will continue to grow, thereby gaining a competitive edge in the PC and console markets against foreign developers. It is recommended to pay attention to companies with significant project reserves this year: 37 Interactive Entertainment Network Technology Group, G-bits Network Technology, Perfect World, NetEase, and Beijing Ultrapower Software, among others.