China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) has published a list of games approved for publication in October. This brings the total number of licenses issued this year to over 1,000.
- The NPPA approved a new batch of video games on October 25. The list includes 113 domestic titles and 15 products from foreign developers.
- As reported by South China Morning Post, the list includes Goddess of Victory: New Hope, a Chinese version of Shift Up’s mobile hit Goddess of Victory: Nikke, and Supercell’s Squad Busters.
- Both titles will be published by Tencent, which owns a 35% stake in Shift Up and is the parent company of Supercell.
- Looking further down the list of foreign games approved in October, there is also mobile title Mega Man XZ: Time Rift.
- The Chinese regulator has approved over 100 domestic games per month on average this year, a positive sign for the market, especially after the infamous 2021 licensing freeze.
- When it comes to non-Chinese titles, the NPPA currently tends to license new games every two months. As in October, the regulator approved 15 foreign games in August, including Rainbow Six, Marvel Rivals, Marvel Snap, Mario Golf: Super Rush, and Final Fantasy XIV: Crystal World.
- China has approved 1,162 games in 2024 so far, including 90 titles from foreign developers. This already exceeds the total number of licenses for the entire 2023, when 1,075 products received their ISBNs.
- For comparison, the NPPA approved 512 and 755 titles in 2022 and 2021, respectively.