The China digital gaming market is fundamentally different from other digital gaming markets, particularly those of the western countries. Game censorship in China is extremely stringent, and regulatory bodies often ban the licenses of video games that are deemed inappropriate for the cultural development of young gamers. Despite such limitations, China has become one of the largest digital gaming markets in the world, and has grown exponentially in the past few years due to the popularity of mobile games and eSports in the country.

The China digital gaming market is classified into three segments –
1) Platforms: PC games, console games, and mobile games

2) Revenue models: freemium, pay-to-play, and advertising

3) Game genres: shooter, role-playing, arena fighting, and others [sports, adventure, strategy, etc.

Platform Segment Insights:
The mobile gaming segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 20.6% through the forecasted period (2018-2023), and will occupy a market share of approximately 74% by 2023. Following the lifting of the 14-year ban on console games, China is expected to witness a significant boost in its console gaming segment, which is expected to grow at a double-digit CAGR during the 2018-2023 period. China-based Subor, which is credited with developing some of the country’s first video game consoles, has already announced the launch of the first high-spec video game console, The Subor Z+.

Revenue Models Segment Insights:
The China digital gaming space is dominated by the freemium or free-to-play model. This segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 15.5% during 2018-2023.

Game Genre Segment Insights:
Although role-playing games (RPG) held the largest market share (40%) in the China digital gaming market, owing to the availability of a large number of RPG games across PC and mobile platforms, the arena fighting segment is expected to witness a higher growth rate (33.7%) during the forecasted period (2018-2023).

Companies Profiled:
Tencent
Netease
Kongzhong
Shanda Games
37 Interactive Entertainment