SEA of Opportunities - New Southeast Asia Research from Niko Partners
Niko’s SEA-6 Gamer Behavior & Market Insights are out now. We have tracked six notable Southeast Asia video games market for over a decade. The region is on track to generate over $6 billion and have more than 300 million gamers in 2029. Learn some highlights from our SEA research here.
NPPA approves 156 video games in September 2025
The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), mainland China’s regulator in charge of game approvals, issued ISBNs for 145 domestic games and 11 import games on September 24, 2025. This is the ninth batch of games approved in 2025 and brings total approvals for 2025 YTD to 1,195 domestic games and 80 import games.
Notable import games included Astro Bot for PS5 (Sony), Dave the Diver for PC (Nexon), Split Fiction for console and PC (Electronic Arts), and a new Maplestory mobile game (Nexon). The most important domestic game approval was for Honkai: Nexus Anima, a new title from miHoYo based on its Honkai IP.
Saudi Arabia’s PIF leads $55 billion buyout of EA – on route to Vision 2030
The biggest news of the week is that EA is set to be taken private by an investor consortium consisting of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Infinity Partners for $55 billion. The transaction represents the largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history and is expected to close in Q1 FY27 subject to regulatory approval. We note that the PIF held a 10% stake in EA prior to this announcement.
Why this matters: The $55 billion buyout of EA is surprising and important. The deal reiterates the Saudi commitment to their Vision 2030 plan and its National Gaming & Esports Strategy, which includes a goal of being a global hub for gaming and esports. Read our take on the buyout in details here.
Niko Partners at LEVELUP KL
Niko’s Malaysia-based Analyst, Edward Tien will be attending LEVEL UP KL 2025. The event will take place on 6-8 October 2025 at Connexion Conference & Event Centre, Bangsar South. This is the 11th year of the event, organized by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
Nintendo establishes a business entity in Singapore
On September 26, Nintendo announced that it has established Nintendo Singapore Pte. Ltd. to accelerate the company’s business activities in Southeast Asia. Nintendo intends to establish another entity, in Thailand, to further develop their presence in the region.
Why this matters: Nintendo has been actively trying to expand its outreach beyond their traditional markets of Japan and the west. Apart from Southeast Asia, Nintendo is also ramping up their presence in China, Korea, and the Middle East. The company has a distribution partnership with Advanced Initiatives Company (AIC) in Riyadh for Saudi Arabia.
Multiple Chinese esports orgs announce teams for Rainbow Six Siege esports
Eight major Chinese esports organizations (4AM, ASE, Wolves Esports, TEC, KingZone, TYLOO, MQ, and All Gamers (AG)) have announced the formation of Rainbow Six Siege teams ahead of the Six Invitational 2026. The event will take place at the Paris Adidas Arena from February 2-15, 2026, and marks the first time that mainland Chinese teams will have an official qualification route into Ubisoft’s premier global competition. The new teams will debut in the Genesis Vanguard Championship (GVC), a Tencent and Ubisoft backed domestic league running from September to December 2025.
Why this matters: This competitive pathway reflects Ubisoft’s gradual integration of China into its global esports ecosystem following the country’s regulatory approval of Rainbow Six Siege in August 2024. Tencent is set to begin beta testing the localized Chinese version of the game in spring 2026. For context, Rainbow Six Siege was effectively banned in China for six years, blocking sales and live broadcasts. Its reinstatement, alongside Tencent’s publishing role, has now created the conditions for a domestic esports ecosystem.
Link to original article (Chinese) →
miHoYo announces Petit Planet as its next game
miHoYo has revealed Petit Planet, a new life simulation title positioned as a departure from the studio’s established RPG portfolio. The game integrates farming, fishing, mining, cooking, and crafting, alongside deep customization of outfits, furniture, and outdoor spaces. A closed beta, titled the “Coziness Test,” is now open for sign-ups, following regulatory approval secured in July 2024.
Why this matters: The cross-platform title reflects miHoYo’s ongoing strategic diversification beyond its flagship RPGs Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact. The developer also recently announced Honkai: Nexus Anima, which combines pet collection mechanics with auto chess gameplay. Petit Planet highlights how leading Chinese studios are evolving into multi-genre publishers with ambitions beyond their initial core competencies.
RELATED: Tencent announces Animula Nook, its cross-platform fantasy life simulation game
Tencent has announced Animula Nook, a new fantasy life simulation game developed by LilliLandia Games, an internal Tencent studio. In the game, players explore as miniature characters, customize outfits and accessories, and use creative tools to design their environments. Set for release on PS5, Switch 2, and PC, the title emphasizes “social connection and comfort” as its core design pillars.
Why this matters: The announcement closely follows miHoYo’s reveal of Petit Planet, suggesting major Chinese publishers are moving aggressively into the life simulation genre, long dominated by games such as Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. The project was incubated under Tencent’s internal “Spring Bamboo Shoots Plan”, an initiative aimed at fostering innovative titles outside the company’s dominant genres such as shooters, RPGs, and MOBAs.
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New Ananta trailer shows NetEase is working on a F2P GTA competitor
At Tokyo Game Show 2025, NetEase unveiled new gameplay footage of Ananta, an ambitious open-world RPG set in a vibrant anime-inspired city. The title features dynamic systems including intelligent NPCs, CHAOS events, and branching player choices that impact the world, drawing comparisons to GTA-level scale but with anime aesthetics. The game has already surpassed 11 million global pre-registrations despite lacking a release date, signaling strong anticipation.
Why this matters: Originally conceived as a free-to-play title with gacha monetization, Ananta has since dropped plans for character gacha. This pivot reflects a growing recalibration away from punishing gacha systems amid saturation of the monetization model, which has led to increasingly negative player feedback. Ananta, along with Where Winds Meet, is significant as some of the first major attempts by a Chinese studio to build a player-first AAA-style open-world RPG with monetization rooted in cosmetics rather than gacha. If successful, it could signal a broader shift in free-to-play economics and establish a new standard.
NetEase and Blizzard introduce Titan Reforged servers for WoW in China
As part of World of Warcraft‘s 20th anniversary celebrations in China, Blizzard and NetEase revealed the launch of “Titan Reforged” servers, a China-exclusive feature for World of Warcraft Classic. These servers will allow players to experience raids from Classic, The Burning Crusade, and Wrath of the Lich King in a randomized release order.
Why this matters: The Titan Reforged initiative has been jointly developed by Blizzard and NetEase’s Thunderfire Studio, with direct involvement from World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas and Classic associate director Clayton Stone. The move highlights Blizzard’s renewed commitment to China, a key market for the franchise, while leveraging NetEase’s local expertise to deliver bespoke content for Chinese players.
Link to original article (Chinese) →
Innosilicon unveils its Fenghua 3 GPU
Chinese GPU maker Innosilicon has introduced the Fenghua No.3, its latest flagship graphics card, marking a departure from earlier reliance on Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR IP. Instead, the new iteration is built on the open-source RISC-V architecture, underscoring China’s push for self-sufficiency in core semiconductor technologies. At its launch event, Innosilicon showcased Fenghua No.3 running games such as Tomb Raider, Delta Force, and Valorant, with local reports describing the gameplay as smooth.
Why this matters: China’s GPU ecosystem is still at an early stage compared to US leaders like NVIDIA and AMD, but local firms including Lisuan, Moore Threads, Biren Technology, MetaX, Enflame, and now Innosilicon are accelerating development across both consumer and data center markets. Beijing’s broader semiconductor strategy emphasizes reducing reliance on US-controlled IP and ensuring domestic alternatives in critical computing hardware.
Events
LEVEL UP KL
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
October 7-8, 2025
Attendee: Edward Tien
gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show
Bangkok, Thailand
October 16-19, 2025
Speaker: Darang Candra
