Letter from Shanghai
From Genshin Impact to Arknights: What drives China’s mobile games industry?
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Fans of various mobile games such as Arknights dressed up for the Hypergryph Carnival held in Shanghai in August 2026.
ST PHOTO: INGRID YU
- China’s mobile games industry thrives with popular titles like Arknights and Genshin Impact, attracting millions globally and generating significant overseas revenue.
- Chinese studios lead in mobile gaming quality and innovation, leveraging free-to-play and gacha models despite regulatory challenges.
- Mobile games also serve as cultural export tools, showcasing Chinese aesthetics and stories.
AI generated
SHANGHAI – On a hot summer weekend in Shanghai, thousands of avid gamers and cosplayers streamed into cavernous exhibition halls to see their favourite characters from a mobile game come to life.
They joined snaking queues to play mini-games at a replica of Wuling City, a fictional location that blends traditional Chinese elements such as Jiangnan-style residences and stone lions with sci-fi futurism, collect fan art and exchange gaming strategies.