Chinese gaming Archives

AppWizard

October 26, 2025

China’s ByteDance reportedly building a Steam competitor — ‘GameTop’ for overseas markets will distribute and publish games like any other store, while harboring a social space with AI-assisted creator tools

Steam's dominance in the PC gaming market is being challenged by new platforms, including the upcoming "GameTop," a gaming marketplace being developed by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. GameTop is aimed at overseas markets and is part of ByteDance's strategy to enhance its gaming division under new leadership. The initiative follows a shift from aggressive expansion to a focus on operational efficiency. There is an existing app named GameTop on the Google Play Store, which is unrelated to ByteDance. ByteDance has made progress in the Chinese gaming sector and is attempting to expand internationally, though it currently does not compete with Tencent, which has a significant stake in Epic Games.

AppWizard

October 10, 2025

NetEase divests Fantastic Pixel Castle

Chinese gaming company NetEase has withdrawn support from the foreign game studio Fantastic Pixel, potentially leading to its closure. Greg Street, the head of Fantastic Pixel, announced this on LinkedIn, expressing concerns about the studio's future if it cannot secure a new publisher or investor. He emphasized the importance of supporting his team during this uncertain time and acknowledged that without a publisher soon, the studio would likely close, affecting the entire team. Fantastic Pixel Castle was announced in November 2023, and the studio is currently seeking alternative backing while navigating financial challenges.

AppWizard

September 11, 2025

Silksong dev Team Cherry apologises for shoddy Chinese translation

The developer of Hollow Knight: Silksong has acknowledged concerns about the game's Simplified Chinese translation, which has received 'Mixed' reviews on Steam. Matthew Griffin, the studio's marketing representative, thanked the Chinese gaming community for their feedback on translation inaccuracies and stated that improvements will be made in the coming weeks. The game, released on September 4th, achieved nearly 600,000 concurrent players on Steam.

AppWizard

September 1, 2025

NetEase has closed down T-Minus Zero

NetEase has decided to close T-Minus Zero, a studio established in August 2023. The announcement was confirmed by the company and the studio head, Rich Vogel, expressed pride in the team's journey and their achievements, including a playable demo. The closure is part of NetEase's restructuring efforts, which also included the shutdowns of other studios like Jar of Sparks and Liquid Swords. The company is recalibrating its investments, particularly in non-Chinese studios.

AppWizard

August 26, 2025

Inside the Chinese PC gaming industry as it gets ready to dominate the next decade: ‘We have to work harder, we have to make the games even better’

In 2019, China's PC gaming industry was the largest globally, surpassing the U.S. market, which generated .4 billion in revenue in 2018. The recognition of Chinese-made PC games was limited, with major hits like League of Legends and PUBG being imports. The global success of Black Myth: Wukong has changed perceptions, demonstrating that high-budget PC games from China can succeed internationally. By 2030, experts predict an influx of high-caliber games, as developers reinvest profits from mobile gaming into AAA projects. Major publishers like Tencent and NetEase are financially supporting these endeavors, while developers aim to improve the quality of their games. Emerging titles such as Phantom Blade Zero, Delta Force, Wuchang, The Bustling World, Blood Message, and Where Winds Meet are indicative of this evolving landscape.