Learn how to promote games in China and successfully enter the Chinese gaming industry. This guide covers the China video game market, mobile gaming trends, ISBN licensing, and effective marketing strategies. Discover how to release a game in China, navigate the Chinese gaming industry, and promote games to millions of players.
China’s video game market is the largest gaming territory in the world with over $350 billion in revenue in 2025 and 680 million players. However, entering this market requires understanding unique regulatory requirements, cultural characteristics, and marketing strategies.
After reading, you’ll understand how to release a game in China, what steps to take, what mistakes foreign developers make, and why collaborating with professionals is critical for success.
Why China: the market you cannot ignore
China’s gaming ecosystem offers massive opportunities to promote games to millions of players:
- Mobile gaming quality — new releases show strong market performance
- Mini-program games — 500+ million monthly active users
- Cross-platform compatibility — expanding player bases through multi-platform support
- $20+ billion earned by Chinese developers on international markets in 2025
The domestic gaming market generated 350.79 billion yuan ($49.8 billion) in 2025, representing a 7.68% year-on-year increase. The user base reached 683 million players, up 1.35% year over year.
Navigate the Chinese gaming industry
The industry is dominated by major companies — Tencent, NetEase, miHoYo. To successfully navigate the Chinese gaming industry, strategic planning is essential:
On March 25, 2026, the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), the mainland Chinese regulatory body responsible for game approval, issued ISBN numbers for 130 games, both domestic and imported. This is the second batch of games approved in 2026, bringing the total number of approved games to 453 domestic and only 14 imported.
Import games represent less than 7% of all approvals. Successfully entering the Chinese gaming industry requires careful planning.
ISBN licensing: how to release a game in China
To release a game in China, you practically always need an ISBN license from the Chinese government. Without it, commercial publication is impossible.
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Who needs ISBN
— All mobile games (iOS & Android) for commercial publication
— PC games for Chinese store publication
— Games with monetization (IAP, subscriptions, ads)
Here is the five-step process for releasing a game in China.
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Step 1: documentation (2-4 weeks)
— Game description in Chinese
— Screenshots of all screens
— Technical information
— Monetization details
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Step 2: find Chinese partner (1-3 months)
Foreign developers must work through a Chinese partner company.
Partner criteria:
— Experience with import games (minimum 3 cases)
— All required publishing licenses
— Transparent financial model
— Understanding of NPPA requirements
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Step 3: submit to NPPA (1 week)
National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) regulates game approvals.
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Step 4: wait for approval (6-18 months)
Average approval time for import games in 2025: approximately 10 months.
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Step 5: get license (1-2 weeks)
You receive a unique ISBN for your game to display in the game and marketing materials.
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Practical tip
Start the ISBN process minimum 12-14 months before your planned release. Rules changed in 2026: refined content requirements, strict monetization control, and additional data protection requirements.
Content restrictions for China video game market
Fully banned content:
| Type | Restrictions |
|---|---|
| Politics | Government criticism, political symbols, Taiwan as separate country |
| Religion | Religious symbols, organization promotion |
| Blood | Blood imagery banned in any form (can be changed to another color, e.g., green or blue, to pass review) |
| Sexual | Explicit images, fetishes |
| Drugs | Drug use, substance depiction |
| Gambling | Real gambling games |
Restricted content:
| Type | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Violence | Limited amount, no excessive brutality |
| Death | Minimized, no detail |
| Language | No offensive expressions |
Tip: conduct an internal content check before submission. Many developers lose months on re-submission due to unremoved banned content.
Publishing Platforms: Where to Release Your Game
Mobile Platforms
iOS — App Store China:
- ISBN required — mandatory
- Market share: ~25%
- High LTV users, older demographic
Android — multiple stores
Critical: publish on several major stores for significant reach. Each store requires separate submission and ISBN.
| Store | Share | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Tencent App Store | ~25% | WeChat integration |
| Huawei AppGallery | ~20% | All Huawei devices |
| OPPO App Market | ~10% | OPPO devices |
MC Platforms
- Steam China — ISBN required, good for niche games and indie developers
- Tencent WeGame — high Tencent ecosystem integration, good for multiplayer games
Tip: start with mobile, then expand to PC via Steam China.N.
Localization: cultural adaptation
Why localization is critical: Chinese players reject games with poor localization. Quality simplified Chinese localization is mandatory for success.
5 key rules for Chinese localization
- Adapt cultural references — replace Western with Chinese equivalents
- Translate context, not just text — character names must mean something in Chinese
- Consider text length — Chinese requires less space, adapt UI accordingly
- Avoid direct idiom translations — use Chinese idioms instead
- Test with Chinese players — critical step before release
Tip: use a professional Chinese linguist with gaming industry experience. Never use automatic translators.
Marketing strategies: how to promote games in China
| Western Market | China Market |
|---|---|
| Facebook, Instagram | WeChat, Douyin, Xiaohongshu |
| Google Play | Tencent App Store, Huawei |
| Twitter, Theads | Weibo, Xiaohongshu, WeChat |
| YouTube | Bilibili |
| TikTok | Douyin |
Key marketing platforms to promote games in China
1. Bilibili — most powerful platform
Bilibili is China’s most powerful game marketing platform. Perfect to promote games to millions of players.
- Demographics: 16-30 years (primary target audience)
- High gaming engagement
- Top gaming KOLs available
Strategy:
- Create a quality Chinese trailer (not just translated)
- Upload to Bilibili
- Launch KOL collaboration
- Use live streaming with developers
2. WeChat — interaction ecosystem
WeChat has 1+ billion users and is a full ecosystem:
- WeChat Official Account for your game
- WeChat Mini Programs for testing
- WeChat Groups for community building
- WeChat Pay for monetization
3. Douyin — viral marketing
Douyin is a Chinese TikTok with 700+ million users.
Strategy:
- Create short video clips from your game
- Launch influencer campaign with gaming KOLs
- Use trending music and effects
- Launch user-generated content challenge
4. Huya & Douyu — PC live streaming
Largest game live streaming platforms, especially for PC games.
- PC gaming focus
- Top gaming influencers
- Boost Steam wishlists through live streaming
KOL & Influencer marketing: promote games to millions
Chinese players trust KOL recommendations extremely highly. Influencer marketing is not optional — it’s essential.
Statistics:
- KOL recommendations increase conversion by 40-60%
- 70% of players decide after viewing KOL content
- Influencer campaigns generate 3-5x more engagement than traditional ads
KOL selection criteria: game category match, audience quality, engagement rate, content quality, reputation.
Tip: start KOL collaboration minimum 2-3 months before release. This gives time for anticipation building and community growth.
Mini-Games: fast entry to China video game market
WeChat Mini Games: 500+ million monthly active users, 1+ billion registered users.
Key advantages:
- No ISBN required — no license needed for publication
- Fast launch — 2-4 months vs 12+ months for full games
- Low risk — smaller investment for market testing
- Large audience — access to 500+ million users
- IAP revenue without sharing — up to RMB 50 million gross revenue
Tencent’s ecosystem (led by WeChat) retains dominance with 87.6% user preference for mini-program games.
Tip: mini-games are perfect for market testing before full release. Use them to build community and anticipation.
Common mistakes: what to avoid
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Starting ISBN too late (process usually takes 12-18 months)
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Automatic translation (players instantly reject poor localization)
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Western marketing platforms (use Bilibili, WeChat, Douyin, Weibo)
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No Chinese partner (find experienced partner with import game experience)
Economics: budget & ROI
Budget structure
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| ISBN process | 15-20% |
| Localization | 10-15% |
| Marketing | 30-50% |
| Publishing | 10-15% |
| Post-launch | 15-20% |
Expected ROI
Mobile games:
- Average LTV: $50-150
- Conversion rate: 2-5%
PC games (Steam):
- Average LTV: $30-100
- Conversion rate: 1-3%
Tip: plan budget minimum $500,000-2,000,000 for full market entry. China’s market can be highly profitable with the right approach.
The mobile game market has entered a mature development phase with annual market size above RMB 200 billion, accounting for approximately three-quarters of the domestic gaming industry.
Strategic roadmap: how to successfully enter Chinese gaming industry
Phase 1: preparation (16-18 months before release)
- Market fit analysis for Chinese audience
- Select Chinese partner
- Start ISBN process
- Budget planning
Phase 2: development (12-16 months before release)
- Adapt game concept for Chinese audience
- Professional localization to simplified Chinese
- Remove banned content
- Internal testing with Chinese players
Phase 3: marketing build-up (6-12 months before release)
- Launch Bilibili channel
- Create WeChat Official Account
- Launch Douyin campaign
- Plan KOL collaboration
- Produce Chinese trailer
Phase 4: pre-launch (2-6 months before release)
- Launch KOL collaboration
- Launch mini-game for market testing
- Build community
- Run pre-registration campaign
Phase 5: launch and post-launch
- Performance tracking and optimizationn.
- Official launch on all platforms
- Post-launch support
- Community management
- Continuous updates
Why professional partnership is critical
China’s market is complex and regulation-driven — mistakes can be fatal for your project.
What you get with professional partnership:
- Regulatory expertise (NPPA, ISBN process)
- Verified Chinese partners
- Professional localization
- Effective marketing strategy for Chinese platforms
- KOL network (top Chinese gaming KOLs)
- Risk mitigation (preventing common mistakes)
- Time savings
- Higher ROI
Ready to promote games in China?
China’s market offers incredible opportunities for foreign developers. But success requires proper approach, specialized knowledge, and professional partnership to successfully enter the Chinese gaming industry.
If you’re ready to release a game in China and promote games to millions of players — let’s discuss how we can help you achieve success.
FAQ
Because it’s the largest gaming territory in the world. In 2025, the domestic market generated 350.79 billion yuan (~$49.8 billion) with a user base of 680 million players – up 7.68% and 1.35% year-over-year respectively. Chinese developers also earned over $20 billion from international markets in 2025. These are numbers no serious game company can ignore.
An ISBN (Internet Service Provider license) is a mandatory government approval for any game released commercially in China – whether on iOS, Android, or PC. Without it, you cannot publish, monetize, or even distribute your game. The approval process for imported games takes 6–18 months (average ~10 months in 2025), so start at least 12–14 months before your planned release.
Fully banned content includes: government criticism, religious symbols, blood in any form (though it can be recolored to green or blue), sexual content, drug use, and real gambling. Restricted content includes violence (limited, no excessive brutality), death (minimized, no detail), and offensive language. Many developers lose months on re-submission due to unremoved banned content – an internal content check before submission is critical.
Yes – foreign developers must work through a Chinese partner company to publish games in China. Your partner should have:
- Experience with import games (minimum 3 cases)
- All required publishing licenses
- A transparent financial model
- Understanding of NPPA requirements
Mobile: iOS App Store China (~25% market share) and multiple Android stores – Tencent App Store (~25%), Huawei AppGallery (~20%), and OPPO App Market (~10%). Publish on several major stores for significant reach; each requires separate submission and ISBN.
PC: Steam China (ISBN required, good for niche and indie games) and Tencent WeGame (high Tencent integration, good for multiplayer).
Western platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google, and Twitter are blocked. You need local platforms: Bilibili, WeChat, Douyin, Huya & Douyu.