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Chinese authorities approved 87 video game titles in October, including those from top gaming firms NetEase and miHoYo, as China's gaming industry continues to recover following the easing of a regulatory crackdown.
Zenless Zone Zero, an action game from miHoYo, and NetEase's new adventure role-playing title She Diao, were among the latest batch of titles approved by China's National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) on Thursday.
She Diao, based on the famed wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Chinese writer Jin Yong, was announced in May last year, but an official release date has yet to be given.
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MiHoYo's Zenless Zone Zero, also without a release date yet, has already racked up more than 11 million pre-orders across all platforms, according to its official website.
The number of games approved by NPPA in October was in line with previous months this year, as China's gaming market rebounds after the end of an eight-month licensing freeze in the country last year.
On top of censorship of what it deems "harmful" content in games, the Chinese government also administers a strict licensing system for new titles, and foreign game developers have to access the Chinese market through local publishing partners.
China halted video game approvals in late 2021 amid a national drive to tackle gaming addiction among the country's youth, dealing a heavy blow to the industry. Approvals resumed in April 2022 and the process returned to normal this year, with more than 80 titles approved each month.
China halted video game approvals in late 2021 amid a drive to tackle gaming addiction among youth. Photo: AP alt=China halted video game approvals in late 2021 amid a drive to tackle gaming addiction among youth. Photo: AP>
China's gaming industry revenue in the first half of 2023 fell 2.4 per cent year on year, but increased 22.2 per cent from the second half of last year, with "significant" revenue increase seen in May and June, according to a report released by China's state-backed Game Publishing Committee in July.
The total number of game licenses granted this year is expected to reach 1,100, surpassing the combined figure of 2021 and 2022, according to a report by gaming market research firm Niko Partners in April.