China approves 158 games in May as licensing pace accelerates in 2026

• Tencent, NetEase, Nuverse and Lilith Games all secured approvals in the May batch.
• Nine previously licensed games received approval amendments, including platform expansions.
• More than 2,300 games are expected to be approved in China this year, according to Niko Partners.

China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) has approved 158 games in its latest licensing round.

The regulator granted ISBNs to 154 domestic titles and four imported games while also amending approval information for nine previously licensed releases.

The May batch marks the fourth round of approvals in 2026, bringing the year’s total to 779 licensed games, including 754 domestic titles and 25 imported titles.

The latest approvals continue the steady pace of licensing in China’s games market. According to Niko Partners, game approvals in 2026 are up 19% year-to-date compared to the same period last year. 

More to come 

Of the domestic approvals, 135 were mobile games, two were PC titles, and 17 were approved for multiple platforms. The imported list consisted of two mobile games and two cross-platform releases.

Notable approvals included Tencent's anime-inspired RPG Chasing Kaleidorider, NetEase's unannounced wuxia extraction title, and Nuverse's party game Totpia.

Other approved titles came from developers and publishers including 4399 and Lilith Games.

The market intelligence firm expects more than 2,300 video games to receive approval by the end of the year.