China And Cyberspace
China’s Cyberspace Administration plans to confront mobile app "chaos"
The body aims to tackle a supposed prevalence of fake apps, illegal data collection and more
Tackling Tiktok
15 state attorneys general demand Apple and Google change TikTok’s age rating
Mobile's two biggest players requested to address concerns around the content on the platform before the end of 2022
Gamerefinery Report
GameRefinery’s November 2022 report delves into the state of the mobile market
The World Cup proved to be a popular subject for events, while a Square Enix collaboration with a TikTok star failed to engage audiences
Gaming Post-covid
China rolls back zero-covid policy, but what does this mean for mobile gaming?
The easing of lockdown restrictions could signal a sharp decine for the country's mobile market
Outside News
Chinese game services go dark in memory of former Chinese premier
A National Day of Mourning in China includes the temporary cessation of services for money online games on multiple platforms
Censorship In Games
China blamed for Goddess of Victory: Nikke censorship, despite being unavailable in China
Upcoming graphics content differs from a previously leaked beta, leading to claims that the game is being censored to appease Chinese regulators
Market Analysis
Digital future to be led by Mexico, Slovakia and Saudi Arabia, as China set to feel brunt of global slump
A breakdown of growing digital markets sees China slump, and a shift in the top three growing markets, which affects mobile gaming
Week In Views
Week in Views - What caught our editorial eyes in the last seven days
The PocketGamer.biz team give their take on what happens when a game dies and why the UK is so behind on games funding?
Analysis
China may still be top of the mobile game, but India is closing in
India has been picking up the pace in recent years with a view to overtaking China as the biggest mobile market
Esports
Riot to refocus League of Legends: Wild Rift esports plans solely to Asia
League of Legends mobile adaptation, Wild Rift, originally was given worldwide plans for esports, however Riot Games have now said they intend to focus solely on the Asian market
Chinese Market
Microsoft and Sony attempt to woo China's mobile devs with new investments
Mobile is king of China’s games space, but Microsoft and Sony are seeking to hoover up games and talent
Regulations
China claims they have ‘fixed’ the problem of Youth Game Addiction
Chinese authorities have not only been strongly regulating the activities of game companies, but also of players themselves
International
Chinese game stocks rise after official state newspaper endorsement
An article in People’s Daily lionising the video game industry and its role in pushing technology forward has helped to boost stocks in major Chinese game companies
Feature
Week in Views - What caught our editorial eyes in the last seven days
The PocketGamer.biz team give their take on toxicity, acquisitions and the four day work week
The Chinese Market
NetEase and Blizzard are suspending game services in China
The two companies were unable to reach a deal that satisfied Blizzard
Appgallery Achievements
Huawei AppGallery surpasses 220,000 HMS apps and 580 million user milestones
Achieved since the initial launch in 2018
Nexon Financials
Nexon financials offer evidence to support industry analysis, and boast substantial growth
Nexon, the company behind games such as DNF Mobile, released their financials for Q3, and their results showed record revenue, rising in some areas and dipping in one key market
Studio Collabs
Capcom to collaborate with Tencent’s TiMi studios for Monster Hunter mobile game
Capcom will work alongside TiMi to produce a game based off the popular Monster Hunter franchise for mobile
Regulations
China’s game regulations pose a major potential threat to mobile game business in the country
Unclear regulations, licensing freezes and more are all major challenges for both domestic and foreign game companies operating in China. Particularly for the largest platform, mobile
Lacking Licences
October saw the return of no new game licences in China for the first time in six months
But concerns of another licence freeze may be overly hasty
New Studio
Netease announces new studio led by former Resident Evil & Devil May Cry producer
Called GPTRACK50, the new studio represents a massive step from mobile into the console & PC markets for Netease
Hires
Jetsynthesys hires Krafton's ex-Head of Corporate Development
Anuj Tandon, previously Head of Corporate Development for India and MENA with Krafton, has been brought on as CEO of Gaming at Jetsynthesys
Chinese Market
Chinese mobile market revenue to decline for first time in two decades
China’s lucrative mobile sector, has been forecast to decline for the first time in twenty years
Chinese Gaming Market
China’s gaming market decreases 19.1% quarter-on-quarter
The Chinese market is valued at $8.2 billion
Ceremonies And Celebrations
AviaGames CEO and founder Vickie Chen celebrated as an Industry Leader and Female Executive of the Year by Forbes China and Stevie Awards
Forbes China ceremony has now taken place; Stevie Awards ceremony is coming in November
Guest Post
Ivan Karpinsky Greater China CBO at Azur Games on succeeding in the Chinese market
One of the world’s biggest mobile gaming markets poses unique challenges to developers
Trouble For Tencent
Tencent loses status as China’s biggest company
The company’s stock price has fallen $623 billion from its peak
News
Additional $40 million of funding raised by Well-Link, the graphics as a service provider
Mihoyo, Developers of Genshin Impact, were part of the second round of investment conducted by the GaaS provider.
News
ASUS Republic of Gamers announces gaming tournament to promote new mobile device
PUBG and Call of Duty mobile will form the playlist for a series of “Exclusive Influencer tournaments” to promote ROG’s new phone.
Genshin's Growing Giant
Genshin Impact surpasses $3.6 billion revenue ahead of second anniversary
The game made $12 million revenue on day of Version 3.0 release
Chinese Licenses
NetEase and Tencent subsidiary receive game approval in China
Allstar Streetball Party and Defense of Health have been approved for release
We Have Rift Off
League of Legends: Wild Rift - from PC classic to breakout mobile hit
The success of League of Legends: Wild Rift proves that even hardcore PC games can successfully make the leap to mobile - data.ai drills into the details
Financial Report
NetDragon sees a 26.3 increase in revenue year-on-year
Eudemons proved to be a strong performer despite a decrease in overall revenue
Layoffs
ByteDance reportedly downsizes games divisions
Hundreds of employees have reportedly been laid off as the brand refocuses
A League Of Its Own
Andrei Van Roon appointed head of League Studios
A new role as League of Legends: Wild Rift hits a milestone $750 million in revenue
It's Super Effective!
The Pokémon Company sues six Chinese companies
The lawsuit is being filed due to copyright infringement
Financial Audits
NetEase and Alibaba among first in line for US audit inspection
NetEase and Alibaba among first in line for US audit inspection
Quarterly Report
Tencent reports first quarterly loss since first listing in 2004
The company’s revenue has decreased 3% year-on-year
Bold New Moves
Unity attracts major, local investors as it expands into the Chinese market
The move has attracted investments from some of the country’s tech giants
Gaming In China
Niko Partners: 40% drop in Chinese young gamers after September regulations
However, the number of Chinese gamers will rise to 115 million by 2026, predicts the market intelligence provider
All-star
Dreamworks characters headed to mobile with CMGE partnership
China Mobile Games bringing characters from Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and more to small screens everywhere after 2021 income of $586 million
Global Mobile Market
IP-Power and Eastern markets play a major role in July mobile industry performance
The month saw big success for midcore titles.
Release Reignition
Diablo Immortal launches in China after 20 million worldwide download milestone
Release follows delays of more than a month
Ready To Launch
Diablo Immortal nearing launch in China after delay
Sources claim delays were a result of social media post taken as criticism of China’s president
Home Of The Hoyoverse
miHoYo selects Singapore as metaverse division headquarters
HoYoverse development will be focused in the city state
¥1.1 Million Fee
Shanghai tech firm fined $163,000 for unlicensed game publication
One of the country’s harshest penalties for such cases
Game Licenses
NetEase and Tencent denied licenses in China
The companies were absent from the list of 67 new game approvals
Rules And Regulations
Tencent confirms strict gaming restrictions for minors in China will continue
Strict regulations attributed to stagnation of growth in Chinese tech industries
The End Of An App
Tencent is closing its mobile games portal WeGame
PC version expected to remain online
Turbulent Times
Research and Markets report finds China’s playerbase fell to 706 million in 2021
China Mobile Games 2022 report predicts mobile and PC games revenue will reach $55.23 billion in 2026