The Rebounding Chinese Gaming Market
China’s gaming industry continues to show signs of recovery, with a 20% increase in revenue during the month of July, following a 40% boost in June, according to Gamelook.
This surge in revenue can be attributed, in part, to the release of two new titles by Tencent: Fearless Contract and Ark of Destiny.
Gamelook has identified 12 games that achieved massive success in July, with seven of those titles being developed by Chinese studios. Among these twelve, four titles, all published by Chinese companies, generated monthly turnover exceeding 100 million yuan ($11 million).
One notable success is NetEase’s Naishuihan Mobile Game, which set a new record for monthly revenue among domestic mobile MMOs. Gamelook estimates that the game generated a turnover of up to two billion yuan ($220 million) in its first month. Additionally, Naishuihan Mobile Game currently ranks among the top 3 best-selling charts on iOS, with 11.389 million daily active users during its public beta phase.
Mischief Managed with Crystal Core
Crystal Core, an action RPG title by an undisclosed Chinese developer, broke records by reaching 600 million yuan ($66 million) in revenue within just half a month.
Another surprise hit was Neolithic Age, the latest installment in its franchise. This game generated revenue of 100 million yuan ($14 million) on iOS alone, and a total of 300 million yuan ($42 million) across various platforms.
The worldwide success of Harry Potter: Magic Awakened continued in July, generating 100 million yuan ($14 million) in global revenue. Although the game hasn’t matched the extraordinary success of its initial release, which generated $228 million within two months in China, it still showcases the enduring passion of gamers around the world for the beloved franchise.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming list of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2023, which we will unveil at Gamescom on August 22.