Independent Game Developers and the Dynamics of Platformisation in China

This paper examines how independent game developers in China navigate platformisation, the process by which digital platforms reshape the production, distribution, and monetisation of games. Its central argument is that platformisation presents both opportunities and constraints for smaller studios. Three interrelated phenomena frame the analysis: the market dominance of large technology firms such as Tencent, which makes it difficult for small and medium-sized developers to gain consumer attention; the migration of some developers to external distribution platforms like Steam, despite regulatory and legal risks; and the spread of mini-games on non-gaming platforms such as Douyin and TikTok, which has expanded access to players while altering game design and monetisation.

The authors ground their argument in case studies of three titles: Mirror, The Invisible Guardian, and OHHH! Sheep. These are supplemented by fieldwork conducted by the authors in China. The study adopts a qualitative, case-based approach rather than relying on large-scale survey data, and its findings are interpretive in nature.

The key conclusions are that Chinese developers gain meaningful benefits from external distribution platforms but remain exposed to other forms of platform governance. Mini-games have casualised gaming and broadened its audience, yet these titles often display aggressive advertising, limited originality, and shorter lifespans, reflecting less polished design than traditional video games.

The scope is focused on China's domestic market and its interaction with global platforms, with particular attention to the mobile segment, where growth has been most pronounced. The paper situates its analysis within broader scholarly debates on platform studies, questioning claims that digital platforms inherently democratise creative production, and emphasising the regional specificity of Chinese platform ecosystems.