China’s regulatory authority greenlights 115 games in January · TechNode

The Nationwide Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) of China launched its first batch of home sport licenses for 2024 within the early hours of this morning, with its approval of 115 video games sparking hope for a secure and optimistic regulatory setting within the trade this 12 months.

Why it issues: Over the past two years, the typical month-to-month issuance of home sport licenses was round 80, with January 2023 solely reaching 88. At present’s approvals symbolize the very best variety of month-to-month licenses granted for 2 years. 

Particulars: The batch of 115 authorized video games consists of 100 cell video games, eight dual-end (PC and cell) video games, 4 PC video games, one PS sport, and one web-page sport.

• The principle gaming titles are Want for Velocity by Tencent Video games, Etheria: Restart by X.D.Community, My Three Physique: 2277 by YOOZOO Interactive, Name of Dragons by Lilith Video games, Wait a Minute by 37 Interactive Leisure, Anno: Mutationem by Leiting Video games, and Youxing Continent by Bingchuan Community.
• The Three-Physique Drawback is a world award-winning science fiction novel written by Liu Cixin, broadly acclaimed for its profound concepts, charming storyline, and scientific precision. As the primary formally licensed Three-Physique Drawback sport, the turn-based technique title My Three Physique: 2277 has constantly garnered consideration in China. In October 2023, particulars of the gameplay have been unveiled, accompanied by the opening of on-line pre-registration, and the sport is scheduled for a launch for each cell and PC platforms within the first half of this 12 months, in line with Cailian Press.
• Launched globally in March 2023, Name of Dragons, developed by LEGOU Video games and distributed by Lilith Video games, is on the market for abroad markets on Android, iOS platforms, and PC. Name of Dragons is a multiplayer Western-style fantasy technique sport with 3D modeling, initially positioned for worldwide audiences. At present, the sport has gained between 5 million and 10 million downloads on the Google Play Retailer within the world market, in line with market intelligence agency SensorTower. Nevertheless, it stays to be seen whether or not the sport will discover related success with Chinese language audiences.
• Moreover, the NPPA authorized various previously-licensed video games on new platforms for 2024. NetEase’s card assortment role-playing sport Harry Potter: Magic Awakening and Excellent World’s turn-based role-playing sport Persona 5: The Phantom X have each added a PC model, whereas X.D.Community launched the Nintendo Swap model for its puzzle journey sport Moncage.

Context: In 2023, the NPPA launched 977 home sport licenses, representing a year-on-year development of 108.76%. 

• In December 2023, an trade report from The China Recreation Business indicated that the income of the home gaming market reached RMB 3,029.64 billion ($426.83 billion) in 2023, a year-on-year development of 13.95% and the primary time that China’s gaming market has surpassed three trillion RMB. The consumer base additionally reached a historic excessive of 668 million.

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