Charts of the Day: China’s Game Developers Score Big Overseas

Overseas revenue from China-developed games surged 30.2% to $12.4 billion in the first half of 2026, marking the fastest growth in at least five years as strategy titles drove sales and Europe gained ground.

The increase extended a recovery that began in 2024 after overseas revenue fell 8.7% in the first half of 2023, according to a report released Thursday at the China Digital Entertainment Congress in Shanghai. 

The U.S. remained the largest overseas market for Chinese-developed mobile games, accounting for 32.3% of revenue in the first half of 2026. Japan contributed 14% and South Korea 7.5%, bringing the combined share of the three markets to nearly 54%, according to the report released by the game publishing committee of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association.