Market scale of the online gaming market in China 2016-2022

Estimated at a value of 403 billion yuan in 2022, China’s online gaming sector has doubled its size within six years. While eSports and a growing female player base appear to be the next big waves of China’s gaming prosperity, the country’s strict regulations could also stunt the growth of these market prospects.

China’s gaming scene

Since 2017, mobile games have been the major pillar of the Chinese gaming industry. Role playing, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and shooters are the bestselling mobile game categories. Apart from mobile gaming, eSports sales revenue has seen tremendous growth, with MOBA, shooters, and strategy games being the favorite genres. Furthermore, female gamers are on the rise. In 2020, the market size of mobile games targeting female consumers surpassed 60 billion yuan, indicating a 22 percent year-over-year growth rate.

A treasure trove that is difficult to access

For many game developers and publishers, the Chinese market is lucrative but challenging as well. On one side, China is home to one billion internet users, yet only half of them have engaged in online gaming. There is a massive market potential waiting to be unlocked. On the other side, all games must get an official approval before launching in China. The Chinese authorities have been active in tightening restrictions on game content and have sought to cut playtime for underage gamers in recent years.