Global Competitiveness of China’s Game Industry:

From Japan’s Perspective

Abstract

China’s game market emerged in the early 1980s, following the country’s reform and opening-up initiatives, and has since grown rapidly under supportive government policies and socioeconomic developments. Today, China’s game market stands as one of the largest game markets globally, alongside the United States. Chinese companies entered the game industry in the early 2000s, swiftly establishing global competitiveness, particularly in the mobile games sector, and began expanding internationally in the late 2010s. This article explores the evolution of China’s game industry by first summarizing the role of governmental industrial policies and tracing the sector’s historical development. A qualitative approach is employed to analyze the key drivers behind the global competitiveness of Chinese game companies, using a macro, meso, and micro framework with insights from Japan’s perspective. The paper concludes by discussing the future prospects of China’s game industry, highlighting emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges as it continues to expand on a global scale.