ChinaJoy 2026 closed in Shanghai on August 3, covering over 140,000 square meters and hosting 900-plus exhibitors from 39 countries and regions. The event highlighted AI in gaming, with 86% of game companies adopting AI. China's game market revenue reached RMB 188.45 billion in the first half of 2026, up 12.17% year on year, while overseas revenue from self-developed games hit USD 12.372 billion, up 30.22%.
ChinaJoy 2026 opened in Shanghai on July 31, featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon pavilion with over 300 devices and 200 interactive projects. Despite the absence of major PC hardware makers, the event drew strong participation. According to the 2026 China Game Industry Report, domestic game users reached 684 million, up 0.82% year-on-year, and H1 industry revenue hit RMB188.45 billion, up 12.17%. PC game revenue grew 27.92%, outpacing mobile gaming's 7.9%.
In the first half of 2026, China's self-developed games generated $12.37 billion in overseas revenue (about RMB 83.56 billion), a year-over-year increase of over 30% and the fastest growth in six years. Domestic market revenue grew 16% during the same period. The gains were supported by long-running titles and new launches, despite global customer acquisition costs rising 30% and intensifying competition. Chinese publishers claimed 41.6% of global top-100 mobile game revenue, with 38 firms ranked among the top 100.
Giant Network showcased its Chinese-style multiplayer adventure game Supernatural at ChinaJoy 2026 in Shanghai, where the title had surpassed 200 million registered users and 10 million daily active users by the end of the first quarter of 2026. The company highlighted the game's AI challenge mode, launched in January 2026, which generated over 25 million AI-participated matches in its first week, along with its collaborations with intangible cultural heritage including Nuo opera craftsmanship.