Shanghai sets up regional talent hubs for gaming developers
Government authorities from the North Hongqiao Business District introduces regional talent hubs for the gaming industry on Wednesday, ahead of ChinaJoy later this week.
Shanghai has set up two regional talent hubs for gaming developers as the city seeks further synergies between local and overseas collaborators.
The Hongqiao International Central Business District Talent Hub for the Gaming Industry and a sub center for gaming talent in Jiading District have been unveiled to enhance the region's attractiveness for the gaming industry, officials told the 2023 Game Business Conference.
In the first half of this year, China's gaming industry stabilized and showed signs of a rebound compared with the second half of last year, and the user base also picked up, said Ao Ran, deputy managing director and secretary general of the Game Publishing Committee at the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association.
Many domestic gaming companies have also set up local and international game development projects.
As the gaming industry explored its frontiers and became deeply integrated with education, arts and culture, the committee called for deeper collaboration between local and international counterparts to enhance innovative game development, Ao said in the keynote speech at the conference.
Last year, the United States, Japan and South Korea were the major overseas markets for original domestic gaming productions.
A growing number of game developers have realized the importance of infusing traditional cultural elements into their games.
Shanghai-headquartered miHoyo released its popular action role-playing title "Genshin Impact" in 15 languages, and overseas events were held to strengthen the connection with players of different cultural backgrounds.
'Genshin Impact' is one of the most popular Chinese games to gain international recognition.
The North Hongqiao Business District, which sits in the Jiangqiao Town in the south of Jiading District, will fully utilize its strengths, such as its digital trade infrastructure and a transportation network that connects the Yangtze River Delta region, to foster the gaming industry.
Business tax income from gaming businesses is expected to jump nearly 40 percent from a year ago to around 60 million yuan (US$8.41 million) in the region with the strong rebound of the industry, according to Zhang Bin, deputy director of the Hongqiao Central Business District.
Leading players including FunPlus, EWorld, Century Games, Happy Elements, and CooTek have set up operations in the area and are expected to drive more synergies in the gaming industry.
Industry commentators said that the profound traditional Chinese culture provided rich materials and space for game creation and the interactive and immersive elements created an effective path for the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture.
An offline matchmaking session during the Game Business Conference was packed with game developers and distributors to seek potential collaborators.
At a matchmaking session during the conference on Wednesday, dozens of game developers and distributors took the chance to meet and greet ahead of ChinaJoy later this week.
The Chinese business investment-themed role-playing game "Business Leaders" was released by Eworld in Japan in 2020 and attracted positive comments and feedback from Japanese players.
A new in-house game is expected to be released in the second half of this year, simulating China's rural life elements to reflect traditional cultural elements and the latest developments in rural revitalization.
Deng Shuhui, vice president of EWorld Network Technology Co, said it was essential to combine traditional Chinese cultural elements with new technology advancements in the digital world to better reflect the evolving demands of the younger generation.
During the conference, guest speakers from overseas industry associations also shared the latest regulations regarding overseas game distribution and measures to optimize local production and better facilitate cross-border partnerships.
Shanghai-headquartered EWorld Network Technology Co successfully distributed the Japanese version of "Business Leaders", a business-themed role-playing game.
