On December 12, 2024, the China Game Industry Annual Conference Industry Development Forum, hosted by the Game Publishing Working Committee of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association and undertaken by Gamma Data, was held at the Shougang International Convention and Exhibition Center in Shijingshan District, Beijing. At this forum, a total of four important reports were released, namely: ‘2025 China Game Industry Trends and Potential Analysis Report’ produced by Gamma Data, ‘2024 Global Console Game Market Survey Report’ and ‘2024 China Game Industry Minors Protection Report’ jointly produced by the Game Working Committee of the Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association and Gamma Data, and ‘2024 TapTap Mobile Game Industry White Paper’ jointly produced by Gamma Data and TapTap.
Many industry experts and enterprise representatives attended this forum. They are: Tang Jiajun, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association, Secretary-General of the Game Working Committee, and Director of the E-sports Working Committee; Wang Xu, Co-founder and Chief Analyst of Beijing Gamma New Media Culture Communication Co., Ltd.; Zhang Xu, Deputy Director of the District Science and Technology Commission of the Shijingshan Park Management Committee; Wang Shaojue, Senior Vice President of SNK China; Huang Shidong, Person in charge of Shenzhen Sanbaijin Technology Co. , Ltd.; Zhao Shuying, Operation Director of Tencent’s minors protection system; Wang Miao, General Manager of Public Affairs Department of Happy Elements; Ye Guoying, Vice President of Brand of 37 Interactive Entertainment; Hu Xin, Assistant to the Chairman of Century Huatong and Shengqu Games; Yang Wuyue, Chief Investment Officer of Kingnet Network; Ma Yi, General Manager of Department 1 of 360 Smart Business Industry; Yu Binhe, Person in charge of brand public relations of Xishanju Games. Tang Jiajun, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association, Secretary-General of the Game Working Committee, and Director of the E-sports Working Committee, released the ‘2024 Global Console Game Market Survey Report’ and the ‘2024 China Game Industry Minors Protection Report’ at the meeting. Regarding the ‘2024 Global Console Game Market Survey Report’, Tang Jiajun mentioned that the main characteristics of the global console game market in 2024 can be summarized as follows: First, under the general environment of slowing global market growth, the domestic console market has performed outstandingly and achieved substantial growth; second, the number of console games with the ‘free + in-app purchase’ model has increased and has great development potential; third, tapping the payment potential of console game users has become the key to industrial increment, and factors such as emotional bonds jointly promote the prosperity of the peripheral market; fourth, emerging channels such as live streaming and short videos have stimulated the potential consumption of console games and there is room for expansion. In general, although the global console game market is growing at a slower pace, the long-term development trend is still positive. Regarding the ‘2024 China Game Industry Minors Protection Report’, Tang Jiajun mentioned that in recent years, anti-addiction measures for online games have achieved certain results. In 2024, the proportion of minors who play games for more than 3 hours per week is 24.9%, a decrease of 37.2% compared to 2021. In terms of underage game consumption, from the frequency perspective, 59.04% of underage gamers have not made any in-game purchases in the past year; from the payment amount perspective, over 80% of underage gamers rarely pay or have a monthly recharge of 30 yuan or less. In terms of the effectiveness of anti-addiction measures for minors in gaming, 75.09% of underage gamers meet anti-addiction standards, with 49.
83% not exceeding the time limit set by anti-addiction regulations and 25.26% stopping gaming upon encountering anti-addiction prompts. Wang Xu, co-founder and chief analyst of Beijing Gamma New Media Culture Communication Co., Ltd., delivered a speech on the theme of “Six Trends Driving a New Round of Growth” and released the reports “2025 China Gaming Industry Trends and Potential Analysis” and “TapTap Mobile Gaming Industry White Paper”. Based on changes in user behavior, high R&D and buying costs, and technological upgrades in the industry, Wang summarized six major trends in the gaming industry: First, the casualization of hardcore games. Wang stated that the demand for reduced liver damage and spending (a term used in gaming to refer to the amount of time and money players invest) has driven the growth of strategy and idle games. Under the dominance of buying traffic, the retention and payment of small to medium R users become crucial. The development of role-playing and other genres in reducing liver damage and spending is also feasible. Second, the shift of user value demand towards emotional value. The driving role of user emotional value, stress relief, and nostalgia is reflected in several sub-markets. Third, the potential for overseas expansion and long-term operation of mini-program games. Fourth, the rise of Chinese original gaming IPs. Wang believes that Chinese original IPs have the characteristics of “high freedom and high potential cost-effectiveness”. Fifth, Wang pointed out that global simultaneous releases bring new volume, with games adopting this strategy often having higher revenue and potentially alleviating competition with competitors. Finally, based on user research, Wang proposed that multi-channel payments will increase users’ willingness to pay. Zhang Xu, deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Shijingshan District Management Committee, introduced the key industrial park situation in Shijingshan District, titled “Transformation and Development Promote Metamorphosis, Strive to Forge a New Chapter”. As a central urban district in Beijing, Shijingshan District is undergoing transformation and metamorphosis with its geographical advantages and diverse industrial layout. The district, led by information services and modern finance, actively deploys characteristic industries such as artificial intelligence, science fiction, industrial internet, and virtual reality, and looks ahead to future industries such as future information and future health, forming a modern industrial system with a hierarchical layout of leading, characteristic, and future industries, “2+4+4”. With Zhongguancun Shijingshan Park as the main battlefield for industrial transformation, it creates a development pattern of “one core, two groups, and five characteristic parks”.At the same time, the game industry in Shijingshan District shows a significant clustering effect and strong momentum. Looking ahead, Shijingshan District will aim to build a sci-fi game industry cluster area, continue to increase investment in the game and e-sports industry, constantly optimize the business environment, promote industrial transformation and upgrading, and work with all sectors to seize opportunities and achieve high-quality regional development.
Wang Shaojue, senior vice president of SNK China, delivered a keynote speech titled ‘Keeping Pace with the Times and Jointly Shaping the Long-lasting Power of Games’. In her speech, Ms. Wang Shaojue reviewed the development process of SNK and shared the valuable experience of SNK in cross-era development and the globalization process. Ms. Wang Shaojue emphatically pointed out that the key to the cross-era development of games lies in: adhering to long-termism and making high-quality games; adapting to the changes of the times and meeting the game needs of players; expanding multiple terminals and improving the full-platform ecosystem; cooperating and linking to broaden the influence of IP; holding competitions to create a fighting e-sports feast. Ms. Wang Shaojue also emphasized that we should seize the new opportunities of game globalization, help games go overseas and let Chinese culture go to the world. Finally, Ms. Wang Shaojue put forward the future vision of SNK in multiple aspects. Huang Shidong, the person in charge of Shenzhen Sanbaijin Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech on ‘Mini Games in My Eyes’. Huang Shidong indicated that the short payback period, small team size requirement, no need to run business, and large market increment space are the main reasons for him to enter the mini games track. After track selection, target audience positioning and market environment analysis, the mini-program game ‘Sudoku Every Day’ launched by Huang Shidong’s company entered multiple platform lists. Next, Huang Shidong proposed that ‘innovation in mini games is an opportunity’. Innovation is the requirement for layout of mini-program games and an important factor for the good development of the market. Relying on product innovation and the dissemination power of the Internet, mini games are more likely to produce blockbuster products. Finally, Huang Shidong expounded on his future prospects: first, seize market opportunities and output high-quality mini-program games; second, focus on good categories; third, pay attention to platform policy orientation; fourth, pay attention to the positive value guidance for minors. Zhao Shuying, the operation director of Tencent’s minors protection system, delivered a keynote speech titled ‘Ignite Dreams and Set Sail, Guard the Future’ based on Tencent Games’ minors protection achievements in recent years. Tencent Games has been constantly exploring the boundaries of minors protection. Since 2017, it has launched a number of minors protection actions such as Tencent Growth Guardian, health system, and minors’ parents service platform. In the face of the problem of minors using the faces of elders to pass verification, Tencent Games has multi-directionally optimized the face recognition strategy and further increased the threshold for passing verification through anti-pass face inspection, recharge intention certification, face recognition bomb lock and other methods, effectively avoiding gray and black industries such as game account renting.In addition to enhancing their parental anti-fraud awareness services, Tencent Games has initiated anti-fraud workshops for parents and special dissemination campaigns. Simultaneously, Tencent Games has launched the ‘Intellect and Physicality Double Hundred’ plan, holding annual science and innovation camps to shift from merely managing minors’ gaming to guiding them in discovering more possibilities through play.
Furthermore, Tencent Games is committed to building a more comprehensive minor protection ecosystem within the industry. They have initiated the ‘Tencent Games Heartfelt Gift’ campaign, leveraging the power of players to provide more direct and effective assistance to rural technology education, thereby encouraging player participation in the construction of a minor protection ecosystem. In 2025, Tencent Growth Guardian will collaborate with multiple games and players under Tencent to launch the ‘Dream Touch Plan’, offering more diverse positive support for the healthy growth of adolescents.Wang Miao, General Manager of the Public Affairs Department of Happy Elements, delivered a speech themed ‘New Journey, Upward Gaming’, sharing Happy Elements’ exploration and contemplation on the path of corporate social responsibility. Happy Elements is dedicated to creating a healthy, safe, and positive gaming environment for underage players, fulfilling platform obligations and effectively protecting the legitimate rights and interests of minors. On this basis, Happy Elements continues to discover the value of games as a bridge for social interaction and a window for cultural expression. In terms of social interaction, during the National Science Popularization Day in October 2024, themed ‘Enhancing Public Scientific Literacy and Jointly Building a Science and Technology Power’, Happy Elements’ product ‘Happy Match’ launched a 12-day ‘Dragon Quest Notes’ science popularization public welfare activity, connecting online and offline channels, with a total of 120 million participants. Additionally, Happy Elements has initiated multiple science popularization activities to support the enhancement of public scientific literacy.
In terms of cultural expression, over the past two years, Happy Elements has created dozens of operational activities centered around traditional cultural elements, such as the Forbidden City, Dunhuang, opera, and poetry. At the end of her speech, Ms. Wang expressed her hope to maximize the potential of games, making them not only a bridge for cultural output but also a driving force for technological innovation and an important force in safeguarding social values. Subsequently, under the moderation of Lv Huibo, a senior analyst at Beijing Gamma New Media Culture Communication Co., Ltd., some participants engaged in a roundtable dialogue themed ‘Focusing on the New Journey of the Industry and Protecting a Healthy Future’. Ye Guoying, Vice President of Brand at 37 Interactive Entertainment, participated in the discussion. Regarding the game’s overseas strategy, Ye Guoying stated that different markets correspond to different localized product strategies. After years of layout in the overseas game business, 37 Interactive Entertainment has accumulated considerable experience in localized marketing. On the issue of global cultural development, Ye Guoying believes that games are an excellent medium for cultural heritage.
When conducting cultural export, cultural differences in different regions need to be considered. Appropriate presentation forms should be selected at levels such as art style and promotional materials. Regarding minors protection, Ye Guoying pointed out that on the basis of enterprises setting up anti-addiction mechanisms for games, parents, media, and schools should also educate and guide minors. Hu Xin, assistant to the chairman of Century Huatong and Shengqu Games, pointed out that Century Huatong has achieved unprecedented performance breakthroughs through focusing on core main businesses and core IP strategies and being driven by the overseas business of DianDian Interactive and the domestic business of Shengqu Games. Regarding the spread of Chinese culture globally, he emphasized that Chinese culture is extensive and profound. As long as it is the best cultural work, it should be recognized by the global market. He also advocated subtly integrating Chinese people’s values into games. In terms of minors protection, Hu Xin said that minors protection is the red line of the game industry. Shengqu Games strictly follows national laws and regulations and conducts identity and behavior discrimination through advanced technical means. The proportion of minors’ use has significantly decreased. At the same time, it also pays attention to guiding minors to surf the Internet healthily. Through activities such as jointly holding summer camps, it cultivates minors’ correct understanding of the Internet and the digital economy. Looking to the future, Hu Xin believes that AI is expected to become a new engine for the game industry. Yang Wuyue, chief investment officer of Kingnet Network, first shared the impact of AI technology on the future game industry. He mentioned that whether it is independent research and development or investment, the layout direction of Kingnet Network is more down-to-earth and practical. In the direction of independent research and development, the ‘Xingyi’ large model is launched. The large model can modularize all links of game research and development and form an AI intelligent engine completely driven by AI. Judging from the existing results, the engine can already generate complete animations that can be applied in games. In the investment direction, it is also mainly focused on AI applications and plans to form more linkages with invested companies, such as at the equity and business levels. Regarding the global development of China’s cultural industry, Yang Wuyue mentioned that Kingnet Network mainly cuts in from two angles. On the one hand, it insists on taking Chinese traditional culture as the game theme and first cuts in from regions with relatively high recognition of Chinese culture such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea. On the other hand, it launches themes that are more familiar in European and American regions, but transmits Chinese traditional culture from dimensions such as values and narrative methods. Regarding minors protection, Yang Wuyue first mentioned that Kingnet Network will strictly implement relevant laws and regulations. On this basis, for games with a very low registration ratio of minors, some games will directly close the minors’ registration entrance, and the measures are stricter than laws and regulations. For products targeted at young users, Kingnet Network tries to explore a minors’ zone and cut in from the mechanism level to address pain points.
Ma Yi, General Manager of 360’s Smart Business Division, shared observations on the gaming industry from the perspective of a game marketing platform. As the leading PC media platform, 360 has focused on optimizing and perfecting the PC commercial ecosystem in the gaming industry in 2024. The newly upgraded 360 Software Manager, in conjunction with the 360 Dianjing platform’s full-matrix marketing products, leverages innovative ‘game reservation’ features and open CPT, CPS, SDK, and other diverse joint operation cooperation models, creating a PC-end marketing closed loop that covers key nodes from game exposure, reservation, and online to version maintenance.
In the second half of 2024, it helped major annual titles such as ‘Black Myth: Wukong’ and ‘Delta Force’ to accurately reach their target audience, achieving marketing victories. In 2025, as an industry enabler, 360 will continue to delve into the PC scene, lifting, activating, and retaining the ecosystem of mini-games, enhancing user experience while deepening platform cooperation and business model innovation, bringing more traffic and revenue growth space for developers. At the same time, as an industry leader, 360 will explore the integration of AI search products – Nano Search with the gaming industry, aiding in the optimization and streamlining of game distribution and brand marketing pathways. Through AI empowerment and the perfection of the commercial ecosystem, 360 Smart Business will continue to enhance its capabilities, safeguarding the distribution and marketing of game manufacturers and creating a healthy, sustainable, and innovative industrial environment for the gaming industry.
