China’s video game market exceeded $51.8 billion in 2025, marking a 5.4% annual increase as the industry prepares for sustained growth through 2030 under new national economic plans.

Key Points

• The Chinese games market reached $51.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $59.8 billion by 2030.
• The national player base is expected to expand to 769 million people, with average weekly playtime increasing to 15.8 hours.
• Mini-games have emerged as a primary growth driver, accounting for nearly 20% of total mobile game spending.
• Approximately 66% of players utilize tools like VPNs, gaming accelerators, or global servers to bypass domestic internet censorship.
• The Chinese government officially integrated video games into its 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development.
• Developers are increasingly adopting generative AI to streamline production pipelines and enhance user-generated content platforms.

Why it Matters

This growth signals a maturing digital economy where regulatory inclusion and technological innovation, particularly in AI, are stabilizing the sector's long-term outlook. As the market shifts toward premium PC and console titles, global developers must navigate unique discovery channels like short video apps to reach the world's largest gaming population.