NetEase Games revenue rises 12% Y/Y to $3.3bn in Q1
| Date | Type | Companies Involved | Key Datapoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2025 | report | NetEase | $2.5 billion profit |
Chinese developer NetEase’s gross profit reached ¥18.5bn ($2.5bn) in the first quarter of its new fiscal year, an increase of nearly 9% year-over-year.
This was spurred by revenue rising 7% Y/Y to ¥28.8 billion ($4bn) while operating expenses fell by 14% to ¥8bn ($1.1bn).
Net revenue from games and related value-added services totalled ¥24bn ($3.3bn), up 12% Y/Y. This was NetEase’s most lucrative segment, having contributed 83% of total net revenue.
Portfolio power
Multiplatform RPG Where Winds Meet "maintained strong popularity" following its December 2024 launch, reaching more than 30 million registered players across mobile, PC and console by March 2025.
Elsewhere the company highlighted that party royale Eggy Party, strategy RPG Infinite Borders and survival game Identity V increased in popularity during Q1, achieved through targeted events and crossovers.
This was also said to be the case for Fantasy Westward Journey Online, Naraka: Bladepoint and the Justice series.
Overwatch’s return to China also came with a new record number of peak concurrent players in the region, while Blizzard’s World of Warcraft and Hearthstone saw "sustained robust momentum" with regional events in China, a boon to NetEase following their renewed partnership.
"We entered 2025 with solid momentum, fueled by our ongoing innovation and new titles that strengthen our reach across genres and resonate with players around the world," said NetEase CEO and director William Ding.
"In addition to the strong performance of our latest games, our long-standing franchises continue to thrive, powered by outstanding content updates and continuous gameplay enhancements that bring fresh takes to player experiences.
"As we reimagine new gaming possibilities, we remain rooted in innovation and long-term operations, partnering with top talent and strategic collaborators to deliver engaging experiences to players everywhere."
Early into Q2, NetEase has already topped Steam’s global sellers list with Marvel Rivals’ April update and topped iOS download charts in over 160 regions with the mobile release of Once Human.
We spoke with Once Human Mobile lead designer Sun Xiangyu about the vision and challenges involved in bringing the game to mobile devices.
Companies
