In the early morning of January 26, the gaming industry welcomed the first batch of game versions in 2024, with a total of 115 games, exceeding the average monthly distribution volume in 2023 (89 games). In this batch, there are 58 games that belong to the “Mobile-Casual Puzzle” category the most, including 51 mobile games, 14 PC clients, and 2 PS game consoles, of which 10 games have applied for multi-terminal version numbers. .
At the same time as the version number was issued, the National Press and Publication Administration also released information on game approval changes. Among them, NetEase’s “Harry Potter: Magic Awakens”, Perfect World’s “Persona: Phantom of the Night”, Changyou’s “Sea of Dawn”, etc. have added client version numbers; Thunder Interactive’s “Box Fission”, Wanqu Interactive “Ink Shadow” and other games have reported additional mobile version numbers; the heart-beating “Peeping Dreams in the Cage” has added console version numbers.
Combining this version number issuance and the game review situation in 2023, we have observed the following three points of information.
First, favorable policies are boosting market confidence.
The “Online Game Management Measures (Draft for Comments)” released by the Board of Directors last year triggered heated discussions in the industry, and the capital market was deeply affected. Then the publishing department, official media, and game manufacturers started to stabilize the market. Today, the link to the opinion draft has disappeared. The new year ushered in a new batch of version numbers, which were issued in the early morning. In the words of people in the industry jokingly, the publishing and publishing offices are all “rolled up”. This is undoubtedly a “positive signal” and a shot in the arm for the sluggish gaming market.
This good news also affects the capital market. On the morning of January 26, the stock prices of many gaming stocks such as Zhongqingbao, Mingchen Health, Shengtian Network, Caesar Culture, Palm Qu Technology, and Glacier Network rose. Among them, Zhongqingbao, Kunlun Wanwei, and Mingchen Health increased by more than 10%, and the gaming ETF also experienced a 1% increase. However, the overall upward trend in stock prices has subsided in the afternoon.
Second, as the number of version numbers increases, head and waist manufacturers may drive market growth.
The number of domestic game licenses issued in this batch is 115, which is the highest number of licenses in a single month in the past year. Calculated on an annual basis, the number of edition numbers issued in 2023 (1,075 models) is twice that of 2022 (512 models). If the number of version numbers in 2024 can still be as good as the beginning of the year, then the number of version numbers this year may be higher than that in 2023.
In addition, Mr. Gyro also reviewed the overview of the 2023 version numbers and found that most head and mid-waist manufacturers have one or more version numbers. In the past year, Tencent held 20 game licenses, NetEase 11, China Mobile 10, Xindong 8, etc. In this batch, Lilith’s “Awakening of Dragons”, Zhao Xiguangnian’s “Dragon’s Breath: God’s Silence”, Eagle Point’s “Paom Paom”, and Heartbeat’s “Ise Restart Day” have all been approved. It can be predicted that a large number of new games from leading manufacturers will enter the market, which will bring new growth to the market and at the same time, competition in the industry will also become increasingly fierce.
Third, the number of “mobile-casual puzzle” and multi-terminal game versions has increased, and mini-games, client and console games have risen.
From the issuance of game licenses in the past year, we have found that the number of licenses for “mobile-casual puzzle” games has increased. Most of these games have simple and casual gameplay and adopt a mixed monetization model. They once accounted for half of the game version numbers before 2019. In the first half of 2023, the average monthly number of approved games of this type will be around 20, and the number will gradually increase in the second half of the year, reaching 58 approved games in this batch. It can be seen that with the explosion of mini-games, the number of “mobile-casual puzzle” version numbers will be on the rise.
Similarly, the number of multi-terminal game version numbers is also increasing. In this batch, 10 games have applied for multi-terminal version numbers. In the changes to game approval information, multiple games have also reported additional multi-terminal version numbers. In the future, it may become more common for games to apply for multi-terminal versions. The reason may be that multi-terminal distribution can meet the needs of players on different platforms, bring new increments, and at the same time increase game revenue.
Next, what are the key games in this batch worth paying attention to?
“Awakening of Ten Thousand Dragons” is a 3D Western fantasy style SLG game developed by Legou Technology and published by Lilith.The game uses ROK-Like, which Lilith is best at, combined with magical themes, and is also known as the sequel to “The Awakening of Kingdoms”.
The game was launched in overseas markets in March 2023, and then quickly topped the iOS download and best-selling lists in 10 countries and regions around the world. It has performed well in the markets of the United States, France, South Korea, and Singapore, and is an “export-to-domestic” product.
“Dragon’s Breath: Silence of Gods” is also an “export-to-domestic sales” product. The game was developed by the Zhaoxiguangnian Youai Division of ByteDance. It is an open-world TRPG game.It adopts a style that combines mainstream dark western magic with a style similar to retro oil paintings, and combines team building with strategic combat.
The game was launched in overseas markets in September 2023. Relying on classic themes such as “Dungeons and Dragons” and rich gameplay, it ranked 9th on the overseas revenue growth list in the first month after its launch, and it is still performing well overseas. However, currently, ByteDance’s game business is in negotiation for sale, and the final destination of the game remains to be seen.
“My Three-Body: 2277” is the first officially authorized genuine Three-Body IP game in the Trisolaran Universe. It is also the first product after Youzu.com obtained the rights to adapt the Three-Body IP game. It was developed by Moge Studio.The style of the game is consistent with the animation of “My Three-Body Problem”. It adopts the shape of a square man. The gameplay includes war chess, UGC, exploration and construction, etc. The game currently has over 10,000 reservations on Haoyou Kuaibao, with a rating of 8.0. It is expected to be launched in the first half of 2024.
“Paom Paom” is a multiplayer cooperative platform adventure game independently developed by Eagle Point. The game has the core concept of the cooperative mode of “Two Players”, and its gameplay combines match-3 and level-breaking adventures.Last year, the game was featured at the Beijing Fusion Game Festival. It is reported that the game will adopt a buyout system and be launched on platforms such as Steam, PlayStation, Epic, and Bilibili.
“Iser: Restart Day” is a turn-based RPG game with the theme of urban ghosts, gods and craftsmen in the near future developed by Xindong Network.The game was tested in 2023. The story of the game is that in the virtual city “Iser”, the player becomes a “Super Chainer” and fights side by side with the ghosts and priests “Special Persons” to fight against the invasion of unknown viruses, explore the conspiracy behind the crisis, and experience the power of various forces. Infighting between the two.
“Wu Hua Mi Xin”, formerly known as “Lai Gu Mi Xin”, is a war chess game with the theme of Chinese style artifacts and anthropomorphic themes developed by Cipai Studio and jointly published by Bilibili.The game was first exposed for testing in 2021. The game content mainly reproduces cultural relics from traditional Chinese culture, and the gameplay is mainly card war. Currently, more than 1.5 million people have made reservations on the game’s official website.
“Era Mutation” is a side-scrolling action-adventure game developed by ThinkingStars and operated by Thunder Games that mixes cyberpunk and pixel styles.The game is also one of the supported works of Sony’s “China Star” plan and has been launched on multiple platforms such as Steam, PlayStation, and Epic in 2022.
Below is the complete game review list.
