Meridian Play: China Gaming Industry in 2025

The Chinese gaming industry experienced a robust recovery in 2025, characterized by sustained growth in both domestic revenue and international expansion. Domestic market revenue reached 350.789 billion yuan, approximately $50.1 billion, representing a 7.68% year-over-year increase. This performance signals a continued rebound from the industry downturn observed in 2022, with growth rates accelerating compared to the previous year. Mobile gaming remains the primary driver of this success, commanding 73.29% of total domestic revenue, while client-based PC games account for 22.28%. Although the console segment remains a smaller portion of the overall market, it has demonstrated significant momentum, growing 86.33% year-over-year to reach $1.18 million.

Beyond domestic borders, Chinese developers have solidified their global footprint, generating $20.455 billion in overseas revenue during 2025. This marks the second consecutive year of double-digit growth for international earnings. The United States remains the largest overseas market for Chinese titles, accounting for 32.31% of this revenue, followed by Japan at 16.35% and South Korea at 9.15%. While Chinese games have successfully expanded their presence in the U.S., South Korea, Germany, and the U.K., the Japanese market experienced a slight decline in relative share.

The industry landscape is heavily influenced by specific genre preferences, with MOBA, shooters, and RPGs leading domestic revenue generation. Internationally, the top 100 mobile games by revenue are dominated by strategy and simulation titles, which comprise nearly half of the segment. Looking ahead, the industry is expected to prioritize the growth of mini-games and a continued shift toward multiplatform release strategies. The data, prepared by the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association (CADPA) and presented in late 2025, underscores a period of stabilization and strategic diversification for Chinese gaming firms.