China’s video game regulator approves 134 games in July 2025 - New Niko Partners blog post
The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), mainland China's regulator in charge of game approvals, issued ISBNs for 127 domestic games and 7 import games on July 21, 2025. This is the seventh batch of games approved in 2025, taking total approvals to 884 domestic games and 62 import games. The domestic games batch included 116 mobile games, 1 PC game and 10 cross platform games. The import game batch included 4 mobile games, 2 PC game and 1 cross platform game. There were also 9 games included on the ISBN change list where games are able to change their name, publisher, or add new platforms.
Why this matters: Total video game approvals in mainland China for the first 7 months of 2025 have reached 946, up 19.3% YoY. We currently project more than 1,600 video games will be approved in 2025, with over 100 of them being import games. A number of notable import games were approved in this batch including The Finals from Nexon, which will be published by Tencent, as well as Diablo IV from Blizzard and Marvel Mystic Mayhem from Marvel and NetEase, with both set to be published by NetEase in China. The regulatory environment continues to improve in China, with the NPPA taking a more frequent and open approach to game approvals. Read our writeup on the approval here.
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Coda acquires European payments platform Recharge
Digital payments platform Coda has announced its acquisition of Recharge, a prepaid payments platform in Europe. It’s a sign that the direct-to-consumer (D2C) monetization segment is growing, especially in Asia where Recharge has a proven playbook for growth.
Niko Partners partnered with Coda to co-publish a whitepaper titled “Gaming Growth Unlocked: Lessons from Distribution, Payments, and Regulations in Asia” that aims to demystify the diverse regulatory trends and payments landscape across Asia and show how you can implement the best monetization strategy to scale your mobile games in the region and beyond. This was the second whitepaper Niko co-published with Coda. Read the latest whitepaper for FREE here.
Nintendo Switch 2 is selling 3x faster than the original Switch in Japan
Japanese retail tracking firm Famitsu reported that the Nintendo Switch 2 has sold through 1.54 million units in its first month, setting a record for video game console sales. This makes it the highest monthly hardware launch in the country since tracking began in 1996, surpassing Nintendo's previous record holder, the Game Boy Advance (1.37 million units), and leaving the original Switch’s debut (556,633 units) far behind. Sony’s PlayStation 2, the strongest non-Nintendo launch, sold 1.13 million units in its first month back in 2000.
Why this matters: The Nintendo Switch 2 is off to an extremely strong start both in Japan and globally, and we believe first month shipments exceeded 5 million units worldwide. Initial sales have primarily been driven by pent up demand for a new Nintendo console, new first party software, and backwards compatibility with original Switch software. While the launch lineup left something to be desired, Nintendo has just launched Donkey Kong Bananza to rave reviews and will release a new Pokemon game in October. We are bullish that Nintendo will see strong demand for the Nintendo Switch 2 through the end of the calendar year, potentially surpassing our original forecast of 15 million units sold.
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Maharashtra urges central government to curb real money gaming
The local Maharashtra government in India is pushing for the central government to craft tough national rules that could potentially lead to a ban on chance-based real money gaming (RMG) following addiction-related tragedies. The state says only New Delhi can impose effective sanctions, given most RMG and online gaming platforms are hosted offshore, but Maharashtra may still restrict celebrity endorsements and advertising locally. Draft state legislation aimed at cyber fraud and licensing has already been suggested.
Why this matters: Maharashtra’s push for stricter national regulation of chance-based real money gaming (RMG) adds momentum to India's broader debate on distinguishing video games from gambling. Several states have already imposed RMG bans and crackdowns. RMG operators have also faced a 28% GST since October 2023, with mounting scrutiny over addiction risks. The Indian government has recognized the difference between RMG and traditional video games.
UniPin’s partnership with Jollibee to include Garena, NetEase Games, and Ourpalm
Digital payment and enabler company UniPin announced that its partnership with Jollibee in the Philippines will also include game publishers Garena, NetEase Games, and Ourpalm. The partnership, first launched in May 2025 under the GameJoy Combos flag, allows Jollibee buyers to receive GameJoy Credits Mystery Card with the purchase of select combo meals. The cards can then be redeemed for in-game credits across select titles. Starting in July, the card is usable for the three publishers’ games.
Why this matters: Cooperation between retail businesses, particularly F&B, with game publishers and payments are a rising trend across Asia. We have seen that Asian gamers are more open to food-related promotions and deals for games. Also, out of app monetization is a rising trend in Southeast Asia where nearly 40% of mobile games revenue is already generated out of app.
Indie hit Sultan's Game sells 1 million units in China
Sultan's Game, a card-based adventure simulation developed by Hangzhou-based Double Cross Studio and published by 2P Games, has officially surpassed 1 million units sold on Steam within three months of launch. Released on March 31, 2025, the PC title draws on Arabian 1001 Nights lore, tasking players with completing time-sensitive narrative challenges in a unique seven-day cycle mechanic. The game was priced at RMB 68 ($9.40 USD) during its launch window and maintains a 94% overall positive rating on Steam.
Why this matters: Sultan's Game is notable for having built momentum from grassroots support. In late 2024, it raised over RMB 2 million ($275,000) via crowdfunding platform Modian. It has also become a viral cultural phenomenon on Chinese social media, with 5.8 billion cumulative views for related topics on Xiaohongshu and over 410 million views on Douyin (TikTok China), boosted by a flourishing fan art and fanfic community. The game's performance highlights the potential for Chinese indie studios to achieve significant domestic success on Steam without NPPA game license approvals.
Tencent to launch Rainbow Six in China next Spring
Tencent and Ubisoft have officially announced that the Chinese version of Rainbow Six will begin its first beta test in Spring 2026, following years of development and regulatory delay. Unlike a direct localization, this version is positioned as a China-customized upgrade, tailored to meet local preferences, compliance requirements, and community expectations. Tencent obtained a license for the game in August 2024 after a six-year ban was lifted, and streaming restrictions were eased earlier this year.
Why this matters: Tencent invested €1.16 billion to acquire 25% of a new Ubisoft subsidiary housing the Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six franchises in March 2025. With a license in hand and previous restrictions lifted, Tencent is looking to bring popular Ubisoft IPs to the China market and Chinese players. Crucially, Tencent unveiled a new "Pioneer Support" initiative with a budget of over RMB 100 million ($13.8 million), aimed at cultivating a vibrant content creator ecosystem around the title. We note that Tencent has a near monopoly within the shooter genre in China with titles like CrossFire, Valorant, Peacekeeper Elite, Delta Force and others beating out competitors.
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Tencent launches otome content for Honor of Kings targeting women
Tencent's Honor of Kings officially unveiled a new emotional companionship-themed content initiative titled "Heartbeats of Kings", marking a deliberate move into the female-focused romance and lifestyle content segment. The project launched on Xiaohongshu, a platform with a strong Gen Z female user base, and currently features a serialized manga focused on seven of the game's most popular male characters. Tencent is expanding the IP into the otome / dating simulation genre, although we note that the project is strictly content driven with no standalone game in development for now.
Why this matters: Though Tencent avoids labeling the project as "otome," the initiative clearly targets the female market and draws inspiration from successful romance content ecosystems such as Papergames' Love and Deepspace as well as Tencent's own Light & Night. These games provide high-touch emotional experiences through embedded companion systems that integrate into users' daily routines with additional gameplay mechanics and elements. With nearly half of Honor of Kings players being women, Tencent has undertaken a number of initiatives to tap into this segment of the market.
NetEase's Fantasy Westward Journey PC achieves record 2.75m PCCU
On July 6, 2025, Fantasy Westward Journey Online reached a new all-time high of 2.75 million peak concurrent users, surpassing its previous peak of 2.72 million set in 2023 and the long-standing record of 2.71 million from 2012. FWJ is one of China's most iconic MMORPGs that first launched for PC in 2001, with a mobile release in 2015. The resurgence has primarily been driven by its F2P transition and the removal of its traditional time-based point card payment model. The game also offers full interoperability across PC and mobile.
Why this matters: The new milestone represents the longevity of video games in China, where many of the top games are over a decade old. Chinese game developers have mastered long-term live service operations, which has helped titles succeed over the long term and undergo smooth transitional changes. The F2P version primarily monetizes through an optional premium subscription and in-game trading. Meanwhile, free players remain able to engage with the game, though their rewards are limited to non-tradeable assets and slower progression, maintaining a balance between free access and incentivized spending. This game has been around and popular as long as Niko Partners!
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China-Saudi esports festival kicks off in Beijing to launch Esports World Cup
Last week, Chaoyang Park in Beijing hosted the opening ceremony for the China-Saudi Esports Festival and the kickoff of the Esports World Cup (EWC) China Tour. The event marked the 35th anniversary of China-Saudi diplomatic relations and the China-Saudi Cultural Year, positioning esports as a new catalyst for cultural exchange and tourism development between the two nations. The festival integrated esports experiences with local tourism, with hands-on demo areas for EWC titles such as Valorant and CrossFire drawing large crowds despite the summer heat.
Why this matters: The 2025 Esports World Cup is currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, running from July 7 to August 24, with more than 20 Chinese esports clubs are participating. As part of the broader EWC China Tour, over 40 cities across China will host esports-themed "watch parties" in cinemas, hotels, and esports arenas over the next two months. The two countries are looking to boost the visibility of the event in the world’s largest esports market through various joint activities, which included special pricing and packages for esports fans to travel to Saudi Arabia and watch the tournament live.
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Events
ChinaJoy
Shanghai, China
August 1-4, 2025
Attendee: Xiaofeng Zeng
New Global Sport Conference
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
August 23-24, 2025
Speaker: Lisa Hanson