
37 of July's top 100 mobile game publishers came from China
Sensor Tower's analysis of the leading 100 mobile publishers for the month of July has revealed that 37 of those listed are headquartered in China. These Chinese publishers collectively contributed to 38.1% of the total mobile gaming revenue within the top 100, amassing an impressive $2 billion.
Tencent continued to hold its position as China's foremost mobile game publisher. NetEase advanced to the second spot, primarily driven by the ongoing triumph of its game "Naushuihan," which entered public beta on June 30. The title remained among the top three domestic bestsellers on iOS platforms during its initial thirty days and secured the second position on the global iOS best-selling list for July. This performance led to "Naushuihan" outperforming NetEase's revenue charts.
NetEase's "Peak Speed" experienced remarkable growth, with revenue surging by 141%, propelling the game to the ninth rank among China's best-selling iOS titles in July. Additionally, "Eggy Party" continued its robust performance, maintaining its standing as China's second-most popular game in terms of daily active users for the seventh consecutive month.
miHoYo also enjoyed a successful month, securing the third position among Chinese developers. "Honkai: Star Rail" secured fourth place in terms of iOS revenue, slipping by one position. Meanwhile, miHoYo's widely acclaimed game "Genshin Impact" also moved down one spot to the tenth position.
Emerging Successes
Other standout performers include Chaoxi Guangnian's "Crystal Core," which launched on July 14 and swiftly rose to the eighth position on iOS. The analysis underscores this achievement by noting that if only the second half of July were considered, the game would rank fourth, trailing only "Honour of Kings," "Naishuihan," and "Peace Elite."
"Crystal Core" fueled a 109% month-on-month surge in Chaoxi Guangnian's revenue, not only achieving an all-time high but also propelling the company to climb seven spots among China's top 30 developers, landing at the eighth position.
The report highlights that China's iOS market witnessed a year-on-year growth of 8.8% in terms of downloads and 2.5% in revenue. While this growth rate is slower than that experienced during the Spring Festival period, it does suggest a recovery in the market. However, it's important to note that China recently implemented new restrictions on smartphone use by minors, as part of ongoing efforts to address video game addiction, which might pose challenges in the future.
Source: Lewis Rees, Staff Writer at PocketGamer