Publishers are returning to China and not just for "quick wins"

There’s a growing trend of publishers returning to China, says MyGamez CEO and co-founder Mikael Leinonen.

He was speaking at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai in a session titled ‘Chinamaxxing 2026: How Global Gaming Companies Are Tapping The China Growth Opportunity’.

Leinonen, whose company supports developers launching games in China, said China’s market is not easy to enter for foreign companies, nor is it an easy market to succeed in. Companies typically need to work with a local partner, go through a months-long approval process to ensure they follow content guidlines and obtain an ISBN licence to release.

Industry leader

Leinonen called China one of the most dnamyic and competitive markets, increasingly creating global gaming trends for others to follow.

For any international company looking to stay at the top of their game, Leinonen said China is the place to hold their competitive edge, keep it sharp and experience up-and-coming trends first-hand.

Leinonen believes there has been a substantial change in how companies perceive China than in previous waves, particularly since the last regulatory storm impacting games.

Companies are no longer entering China looking for quick wins and easy deals, he said. They take a much more cautious view and are well aware of the inherent problems the conventional China publishing model entails.

Now, China is viewed as a strategic growth opportunity. Companies no longer expect to tap into the 30% share of global revenue that China’s games market accounts for with 3% of the effort. Instead, studios are taking a long-term approach with a five-year plan for the sector - which means not just giving in when the first obstacle arises.

“Companies are no longer expecting to hit it out the park with their first swing,” said Leinonen. Instead, they are working in the market with the proper resourcing, organisational know-how to publish in the country and accumulating expertise to increase the chances to eventually hit that homerun.