Following three successful years of PocketGamer.biz's western-focused developer round up, we've turned our attention east.

Created in association with Umeng and CocoaChina, our inaugural listing of the top Chinese mobile game developers launches tomorrow.

Something new

Given the incredible vibrancy of this industry, both in terms of the Chinese market and its impact internationally, it was a difficult task, but one we - and our trusted contacts and advisors - approached with enthusiasm.

After all, given its size and the rate of smartphone adoption, China is quickly becoming one of the key mobile gaming markets.

Of course, it's one that embraces western brands such as Rovio's Angry Birds and Halfbrick's Fruit Ninja, but local developers are also finding their own rhythm and success as they innovate away from well-worn concepts such as games set in the Three Kingdoms period, and the country's strong tradition in PC MMORPGs.

All systems go

It's a vibrancy that's well reflected in our top 30 breakdown, which includes some globally-known corporations who are aggressively approaching the international mobile gaming market, down to small start ups, who are looking to push the conventions of gameplay mechanics.

In that respect, then, the Chinese mobile games market is much the same as the industry in many other countries; it's full of opportunity and changing all the time.

Only differences are it's changing and growing much faster than other markets. 

And the developers we will be revealing over the coming days are in the vanguard of that success.
You can follow the unveiling of our top 30 Chinese developers here.