Gamma data: The size of China's game market in May was 28.51 billion yuan, up 9.86% year on year

The Zhitong Finance App learned that Gamma Data released the “China Game Industry Monthly Report for May 2025 (full version)”. In May 2025, the size of China's game market was 28.51 billion yuan, up 9.86% year on year and 2.56% month on month. New products, sub-new products (defined as products launched or returned to the mainland market after the same period last year, same below) and mature products (operating cycle of at least 1 year, same below) all brought about increases.

In May 2025, China's client-side game market was 5.819 billion yuan, up 1.58% year on year and 0.34% month on month. The increase in the client-side game market this month was mainly brought about by new and sub-new products.

In May 2025, China's mobile game market was 21.177 billion yuan, up 11.96% year on year and 3.69% month on month. Among this month's new products and mature products, some products performed well.

In May 2025, the actual sales revenue for games developed independently by China in the overseas market was US$1,577 billion, up 6.93% year on year and 1.50% month on month. The month-on-month increase mainly comes from “Kingshot”, “Genshin Impact” (Genshin Impact), etc.

New and old products jointly drive growth in May 2025, the game market size increased 9.86% year-on-year to 28.51 billion yuan

In May 2025, the size of China's game market was 28.51 billion yuan, up 9.86% year on year and 2.56% month on month. The main drivers for market size growth this month are quite broad. New products, sub-new products (defined as products launched or returned to the mainland market after the same period last year, same below) and mature products (operating cycle of at least 1 year, same below) all brought increases.

The client-side game market is 5.819 billion yuan, with significant growth in new and sub-new products

In May 2025, China's client-side game market was 5.819 billion yuan, up 1.58% year on year and 0.34% month on month. The increase in the client-side game market this month was mainly brought about by new and sub-new products. This month's dual-end interoperability (client and mobile devices are interconnected in terms of accounts, data, etc., same below), the new products “Goddess of Victory: New Hope” and “Three Kingdoms Fantasy Continent 2: Song of the Condor” performed well, bringing a total increase of over 100 million yuan to the client game market; the second new product “The Sixteen Sounds of Yan Yun” launched a new version of “Yoyo Liangche” on May 16, which updated content such as the plot, maps, and activities. In addition, the game client increased by more than 100 million yuan over the month; in addition, “Dark Siege Zone: Infinite Survival”, which was launched at the end of April Simulation, material collection, encounters, and evacuation decisions are the core, and the gameplay is relatively hardcore The launch of the game has brought a certain increase to the client-side game market.

The size of the mobile game market increased 11.96% year over year to 21.177 billion yuan, and sales of many new products exceeded 10 million yuan

In May 2025, China's mobile game market was 21.177 billion yuan, up 11.96% year on year and 3.69% month on month. In the mobile game market, some of this month's new products and mature products performed well. Among this month's new products, “Land of Valor” performed well, with sales exceeding 100 million yuan. “Three Kingdoms Fantasy Continent 2: Song of the Eagle” also contributed tens of millions of yuan in sales; among mature products, “Peace Elite” began the SS33 season on the 17th of this month, launching events such as “Honey Badger - Chicken Wisdom Like Me”, subway supplies, and time welfare fragments. It topped the App Store bestseller list on the day of the season update.

Gamma Data mobile game turnover calculation list TOP10 “Operation Delta” entered the TOP10 80% product ranking rose or did not change

In May 2025, “Operation Delta” rose 4 places in the gamma data mobile game sales calculation list, entering the TOP10 and ranking 8th. The ranking of 8 products in the TOP10 rose or remained unchanged.

“Operation Delta” launched the new 20V20 limited-time mode “Winner Is King” on May 9, and launched events such as the “Streaming Platinum Movie” series bundle. These activities may be an important reason for the game's monthly turnover increase of more than 20% over the previous month.

The number of “Naruto” sales increased by more than 10% this month over the previous month, probably due to content updates such as “The Legend of the Three Shinobi Ninja,” Uchiha Patara's “Teenager,” and the story.

In the top 10 iOS channel download estimates, “Operation Delta” topped the list and ranked 4th for new simulated business games

In the top 10 gamma data iOS channel download estimates in May 2025, “Operation Delta” once again topped the list, and the new games “Brave Kitchen” and “Heroic Land” entered the list.

“Operation Delta” launched new gameplay modes and items in May, which may be the reason why downloads increased by more than 60% month-on-month. The games remained within the top 10 free games on the App Store during this month, and topped the list 39% of the time.

In addition, the new simulated business game “Furious Kitchen” ranked 4th. The game mainly uses simulated kitchens and level challenges. After launching in May, joint activities were carried out with Wangzai and the China Academy of Art.

Hot game advertising analysis “Goddess of Victory: New Hope”

“Goddess of Victory: A New Hope” was developed by Korea's SHIFT UP Company and launched in the domestic market on May 22. The game advertising volume was concentrated on the day of launch; during the statistics, “Goddess of Victory: A New Hope” App Store best-selling list showed a downward trend after May 29, and thanks to the new version “Memories and Oblivion” launched on June 10, the game entered the top 7 game bestsellers on the App Store the next day. Judging from the form of game advertising, game advertisements are mainly open screen and information flow advertisements, and the two types of advertisements together account for 69.46%.

In the top 5 of the first month of the new tour, “Land of Courage” topped the list, and the first month sales of the new tours are estimated to have exceeded 100 million yuan

In May 2025, the new sandbox game “Land of Courage” topped the list in the top 5 of Gamma Data's first-month revenue estimates (excluding client-side traffic). The first month's revenue estimates for all 5 games exceeded 100 million yuan (including iOS+Android).

“Land of Valor” is an adaptation of the client-side game of the same name. The game uses “explosion and treasure hunting” as its core gameplay. As of the day the pre-download began, the number of game reservations exceeded 5 million, and the game topped the App Store free game list on the first day of pre-download. As of 6 p.m. on June 6 after launch, the number of game registrants had already surpassed 5 million.

Self-developed overseas market revenue of US$1,577 billion all achieved year-on-year growth

In May 2025, the actual sales revenue for games developed independently by China in the overseas market was US$1,577 billion, up 6.93% year on year and 1.50% month on month. Among them, month-on-month increases mainly come from “Kingshot”, “Genshin Impact” (Genshin Impact), etc.; mature products and new products in 2025 brought year-on-year increases, such as “Gossip Harbor®: Merge & Story,” “Whiteout Survival,” and “Kingshot.”

Game changes in overseas markets “Kingshot” continued its growth trend and rose to the top of the ranking

Among the top 10 product turnover growth in key overseas markets in May 2025, “Kingshot” continued the previous growth trend and doubled its revenue this month, ranking first in the overseas market product turnover growth list.

“Genshin” launched a new version of “Paradox” in May, and launched a new story, new characters, and a limited-time series of events. The game's overseas market revenue increased by more than 50% this month.

“Love and Deep Space” launched a new version of “What Spring Does to Flowers” at the end of April, launching a new five-star dream and a new story. On May 19, the game's new main chapter, “By Desolation, By Rebirth”, opens. Multiple operating activities led to a month-on-month increase of more than 20% in overseas game sales in May.