The recent 22nd China Digital Entertainment Congress held in Shanghai highlighted the increasing aspirations of Chinese gaming firms in the global market, emphasizing an 11% rise in sales revenue. Industry representatives confidently conveyed their commitment to expanding internationally, showcasing the resilience and competitiveness of China's gaming sector.

This year’s congress coincided with ChinaJoy, also known as the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference. ChinaJoy attracted 743 exhibitors, of which 237 were international companies hailing from countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

Hu Xin, director of public relations at Century Huatong, a Shenzhen-listed internet gaming firm, noted that overseas operations have become critical to the company’s revenue, even surpassing its domestic business. Century Games, a subsidiary, achieved approximately 17 billion yuan (2.37 billion dollars) in revenue for the first half of the year, with an impressive 10 billion yuan generated from international markets.

Seasun Games also launched a global test for its game Mecha BREAK on July 2, signaling its strategic focus on international engagement. Yao Zhe, the company’s vice president, remarked that this venture is a cornerstone of their globalization efforts, supported by a dedicated team of around 100 employees based in cities like Shanghai, Zhuhai, and even North America.

The ongoing globalization of Chinese gaming is fueling growth in associated sectors. Xu Jiabo founded Shanghai STARISE Media in 2023 to specialize in promoting Chinese games abroad via various social media platforms, catering to major companies like Tencent and Mihoyo.

Xu emphasized the significant role of both Chinese game developers and the domestic gaming market in the global industry landscape. He asserted that, despite the unique cultural implications of some games, their high-quality content undoubtedly resonates with international audiences.

A report presented during the congress revealed that the sales revenue of self-developed Chinese games in overseas markets reached approximately 9.501 billion dollars in the first half of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 11.07 percent.

Huang Zhuo, senior marketing director of ThunderFire, a NetEase studio, underscored the firm foundation of China’s game industry that enables efficient development of top-tier games. He noted that games created in China are capable of performing well even on basic smartphones in developing nations.

The local gaming sphere also witnessed significant milestones, including the anticipated launch of the domestically developed AAA title Black Myth: Wukong by Hangzhou-based Game Science on August 20, 2024, which captivated global interest with over 2 million concurrent players on its debut.

In the first half of 2025, China's domestic gaming market achieved record sales revenue of 168 billion yuan, marking a 14.08 percent annual increase, accompanied by a rise in the player base to 679 million, reflecting a growth of 0.72 percent.

Yao from Seasun Games remarked that the emergence of several high-quality AAA games illustrates China's capability in this sector and bolsters confidence among local developers. The release of more AAA titles is expected to heighten market expectations for the Chinese gaming industry.