ChinaJoy 2025 kicks off in Shanghai as domestic games go global

ChinaJoy, also known as the China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, is set to open its doors in Shanghai on Friday. The event will showcase the booming game industry and highlight the latest applications across esports, livestreaming, virtual characters, 5G and cloud gaming.

ChinaJoy 2025 features a top-level global esports event landing in Shanghai and the continued success of China-themed games expanding into global markets, following recent hits like "Black Myth: Wukong," speakers said at the China Digital Entertainment Congress on Thursday, a prelude forum of ChinaJoy.

From January to June this year, China's domestic game market posted a record-high revenue of 168 billion yuan (US$23.1 billion), marking a 14.08 percent year-on-year growth.

The number of game users also reached an unprecedented 679 million. The growth comes from the strong performance of newly launched games, long-running popular titles and robust momentum in esports and mini-program games, according to an industry report released at the forum.

Meanwhile, a top-tier Valorant event is set to land in Shanghai, with details to be revealed on Friday, dovetailing nicely with the city's strategy to establish itself as a global esports hub.

Chinese Games Expand Global Reach

Meanwhile, the revenue of China-developed games in overseas markets reached US$9.50 billion in the first half, up 11.07 percent year on year. This growth primarily stems from sustained revenue from long-term products and income from new titles launched in 2024, according to the report.

Geographically, the United States, Japan and South Korea remained the primary overseas target markets, collectively representing 55.63 percent of the total income of Chinese games.

Also on Thursday, PlayStation launched the fourth phase of its "China Hero Project," which supports startup Chinese game firms. Compared with its previous three phases, this iteration introduces upgraded support for overseas expansion, covering investment, multi-language support, distribution and seeking strategic partners, based on PlayStation's global network and professional services.

One spotlight of the project is additional investment for "Daba," a game with Tibetan culture. Developer Feng Xun revealed that "Daba," which blends Tibetan culture with fantasy elements, has been in development for five years. The team made multiple trips to China's Qinghai Province and Xizang Autonomous Region for research and inspiration. The game is anticipated to achieve success in both the Chinese and overseas markets.

In 2024, Shanghai launched a plan for Promoting the Healthy Development of the Game and esports Industry over Three Years, consolidating the city's role as a major hub for China's gaming industry.

The city is promoting the "games going global" policy, encouraging more excellent works to reach the world. It also provides the best development environment for global enterprises, the Shanghai Publicity Department told the forum.

The ChinaJoy show will run through Saturday at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in the Pudong New Area. The offline, player-oriented exhibition space covers 120,000 square meters and includes more than 300 exhibitors.