Heatwave Can't Halt Hype: High-Profile Debuts and AI Upgrades at ChinaJoy 2026

Despite the sweltering heat, gaming enthusiasts packed the bustling halls of ChinaJoy 2026, or the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference, eager to test new game demos and AI-powered devices, admire elaborate cosplay and snap photos with their favorite characters.

ChinaJoy, Asia's largest digital entertainment event, opened today, serving as the launchpad for a lineup of highly anticipated debuts.

Among the standout titles was Aion 2, a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by South Korea's NCSoft and operated on the Chinese mainland by Shanghai-based Shengqu Games. The two companies officially signed their partnership agreement during the expo. Aion 2, in its Chinese debut, offers attendees hands-on demos at the four-day event.

Its release comes as China's PC (personal computer) gaming market continues to surge, with revenues reaching 24.98 billion yuan (US$3.70 billion) in the first quarter, up 39.38 percent year on year.

Daba, developed by a Shanghai-based startup, unveiled its first playable demo at the PlayStation booth. It's a mystery-action game inspired by Tibetan culture, legends and mountain landscapes gathered during on-site field research. Staff confirmed the game will launch globally on the PlayStation network within "half a year."

Booths of major publishers, including Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase, drew massive crowds as visitors cheered through intense esports showdowns and immersed themselves in the high-energy atmosphere, leaving with bags of exclusive merchandise and lasting memories.

Hardware makers also took center stage. Smartphone brand OnePlus debuted its latest flagship, the OnePlus 16, optimized for ultra-high frame rates and extreme touch responsivenes. Its features are tailored for tactical shooters like Valorant and Peacekeeper Elite. Driven by its dedicated esports-focused strategy, OnePlus saw its sales rise 13 percent in the first half of the year, defying a broader industry slump.

ChinaJoy 2026 also underscored the global ambitions of domestic developers.

A report released by Russian tech giant Yandex during the expo revealed that revenue generated by Chinese game developers on Russia's largest local app store surged 3.5-fold annually. The report highlighted Russia's growing strategic importance, noting that the country ranked seventh globally in mobile game downloads, with 2.04 billion in 2025.