Video games are no longer played in isolation – gamers expect to play games while enjoying other leisure activities to unwind and relax efficiently. They also crave a sense of identity, hoping to bring gaming experiences closer to real life, and are willing to pay for the emotional value that gaming provides.
Laura Liu, Senior Research Analyst – Retail & Home Appliances, China
Market Definitions
This Report defines games as video games played on computers, mobile devices and dedicated games consoles, including offline games and online games. Gamers or players are defined as internet users aged 18-49 who have played any type of game on any device in the last three months.
Casual players: played games for less than 1 hour a week (about 10 minutes or less per day)
Moderate players: played games for 1-7 hours a week (about 10-60 minutes a day)
Heavy players: played games for more than 7 hours a week (about 1 hour or more a day)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- Gaming market trends
- Profile of gamers and future opportunities
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THE GAMING MARKET
- Market factors
- Overview of the global gaming market
- The Chinese gaming market continues to recover
- Graph 1: actual sales revenue and growth rate of the gaming market, 2020-25
- Graph 2: number of domestic online games approved and YOY growth rate, 2020-25
- The gaming population is largely stable; companies are continuously blurring the boundaries between virtual and reality, introducing new cross-category experiences
- Graph 3: number of game users and YOY growth rate, 2020-25
- Mobile games remain mainstream and revenue is growing, with MOBA games accounting for the highest revenue share
- Graph 4: revenue and growth by gaming platforms, 2020-25
- Graph 5: share of revenue among top 100 grossing mobile games, by genre, 2025 H1
- Regulatory policies facilitate the gaming industry’s positive development; policies are introduced to support domestic games’ expansion overseas
- Market trends
- Noteworthy trends in the gaming industry
- Trend 1: several games are breaking virtual boundaries by incorporating social welfare and current affairs, strengthening user and public recognition while enhancing value
- Trend 2: maximise commercial value through game IP derivatives
- Trend 3: AI gaming companions enhance all aspects of the gaming experience
- Trend 4: China’s supercharged game export
- Overseas players are mostly heavy gamers and keenly anticipate cultural diversity
- Graph 6: distribution of players’ gaming time by country, 2024/2025
- Graph 7: game marketing labels consumers would like to see, 2025
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GAMERS
- Profile of gamers and future opportunities
- Overview of gamers
- Summary
- Most Chinese gamers play games at a moderate frequency
- Most gamers play more than three types of games, with those providing instant stress relief being mainstream
- Graph 8: game genres, 2025
- Usage of gaming devices remains generally stable, with continuous growth seen in tablets and home games consoles
- Graph 9: gaming devices for online games, 2023-25
- Most gamers have moved on from playing on a single device
- Graph 10: multiple device usage in gaming, 2025
- Game companies’ multi-platform layout aligns with the trend of gaming device diversification
- Players pursue personality on top of device functionality
- The extension of virtual achievements into the real world is a core demand
- Graph 11: participation in game-related activities, 2025
- Functional and decorative purposes form dual consumption orientations
- Graph 12: average monthly spending on gaming, 2025
- Over 60% of players recognise the social influence of games; nearly half of the players seek solitude in the virtual world
- Graph 13: the ideal gaming companion, 2025
- Opportunity 1: video games are no longer enjoyed in isolation, as gamers now expect to multitask to unwind and relax efficiently
- Relaxing and having fun remain the top priority: gamers are more relaxed than before
- Graph 14: motivation for online gaming, 2025
- Graph 15: motivation for online gaming – first choice, 2023 vs 2025
- Home is the favourite gaming setting; gaming often occurs simultaneously with other activities
- Graph 16: ideal gaming scenarios, 2025
- Hardware manufacturers optimise multitasking performance to support gamers in achieving efficient relaxation
- Post-1980s individuals seek to spend travel time playing casual games
- Graph 17: ideal gaming scenarios – on the go, by generation, 2025
- Graph 18: the proportion of gamers playing relaxation and entertainment games, by generation, 2025
- High-income families with children hope to enhance parent-child relationships through gaming
- Graph 19: ideal gaming companions – With my child(ren), by monthly household income, 2025
- Opportunity 2: both men and women look forward to relieving stress and gaining a sense of recognition in games, but their fundamental motivations differ
- Women aged 30-49 tend to be moderate gamers; men aged 18-29 are the core of heavy gamers
- Graph 20: time spent on gaming – moderate gamers, by gender and age, 2025
- Graph 21: time spent on gaming – heavy gamers, by gender and age, 2025
- Genres of games played: men incline towards strategy and competition, while women prefer relaxation and entertainment
- Graph 22: type of games primarily played, by gender and age, 2025
- Motivations for seeking a sense of identity differ: men want community belonging, while women seek emotional resonance
- Graph 23: participation in game-related activities – have done and will do again, by gender, 2025
- Men are more willing to spend money on games, with self-reward being the core driver of consumption
- Graph 24: having sent money on games and game-related products, by gender, 2025
- Opportunity 3: break the boundary between virtual and reality and experience the world together with game characters
- Post-1990s and Gen Z are keen on purchasing co-branded IP merchandise, while the purchasing potential of mature age groups remains to be tapped
- Graph 25: participation in game-related activities – purchasing game IP co-branded goods, by generation, 2025
- Achieve emotional projection and self-expression through game merchandise
- Graph 26: have customised gaming goods will continue to do it, by gender and age, 2025
- Player-and-game co-creation is levelling up, evolving into an ecosystem-based partnership
- Break the boundary between virtual and reality and party with players
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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