Top 5 Marketing Strategies to Promote Your Game in China
China game market
As the most populous country in the world, China has always been an important market for the game industry. As of 2022, there are more than 701.8 million gamers (Statista, 2023), with an expected 55 Billion US Dollars of revenue in 2026. With the rapid development of technology and the continuous expansion of the game market, game marketing is becoming increasingly important in China. In 2023, we can expect to see a series of new trends in Chinese game marketing.
Reach wider audiences with E-sports sponsorship and partnerships
The esports industry will generate nearly $1.866 billion in revenue by 2025, says Newzoo’s Global Esports and Live Streaming Market Report 2022. Take the online video game Fortnite as an example, about 40 million players participated in the 2019 Fortnite World Cup held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
In addition to the e-game itself, the FortniteWorld Cup final was watched by 2.3 million simultaneous viewers on the Twitch and YouTube streaming services. Interestingly, this competitive game created in 2017 has even surpassed traditional sports that have existed for hundreds of years in terms of ratings.
Unlike Western streaming, which generates most of its profits through subscriptions and advertisements, Chinese streaming platforms generate most of their revenue from user donations to streaming.
For example, Huya, a Chinese game streaming giant with 86 million monthly active users (MAU), earns its revenue from signing professional players and keeps 50-70% of user donations (gifts and tips), while streamers get the rest. Understanding the different profit models of Chinese and Western streaming media can help Western game companies better adapt to the Chinese market and choose a suitable profit model.
In the future, we can expect to see more gaming companies investing in esports marketing to reach a wider audience. This includes sponsoring esports tournaments and partnership with esports brands and influencers.
2. AR Mobile Game Marketing in China
In China, Augmented Reality (AR) technology is used to combine games and real scenes to create a new game experience. For example, adding AR elements to the game allows players to play the game in a real scene. This method can attract more users to experience the game, and at the same time can enhance the user’s impression and favorability of the game.
AR game “True Crime Mysteries”
Chinese company NetEase launched an AR marketing campaign for its mobile game Onmyoji in November 2019, titled “Fables of Yin and Yang.” The event uses AR technology to integrate game characters and scenes into the real world, allowing players to find items and tasks in the virtual game world in the real world.
In addition, players can also share their game photos in the AR game on social media and participate in prize-winning interactions. The AR marketing campaign combines virtual reality technology and real-life scenes, which not only provides players with a richer and more immersive gaming experience but also strengthens players’ loyalty and stickiness to the game, as well as the game’s exposure and user engagement.
Other common ways to do mobile game marketing in China include:
Pop-up advertisements: Ads that pop up during the game, including interstitial ads and floating ads, usually pop up between game levels or when the game is paused to attract players to click.
Gift package promotion: Launch various gift packages and promotions to attract players to participate and pay by giving away in-game items.
3. Chinese gamers love localized Chinese content
Localization has always been an important part of successful game marketing in China. With a little effort in adapting the game to the Chinese language and culture, games can build a strong brand loyalty and following.
Case Study: Call of Duty
Image Source: Fandom, 2023
For example, "Call of Duty", to meet the tastes and censorship requirements of Chinese players, elements with Chinese characteristics have been added to the game, such as the use of weapons of the Chinese army and maps with Chinese characteristics. This has been extremely well received by gamers in China with raving reviews in social media.
Case Study: Dovetail Games
Another example of successful China localization is from one of our clients Dovetail Games. They are a UK based gaming studio, known for their popular train simulation games: Train Sim World 3 and Train Simulator Classic. In our marketing efforts in China, we tap into major Chinese holidays such as the 11 November Single's day, the hottest shopping day in China. We have also found that fans and influencers absolutely adore China content, such as the Shanghai Maglev DLC.
By 2023, the market is expected to place greater emphasis on localization as companies work to create content that resonates with Chinese gamers. This includes translating game content into Mandarin, tweaking game mechanics to appeal to Chinese players, and developing culturally relevant marketing campaigns.
4. Co-branding opportunities across industries: fashion, food, travel
Co-branding marketing is a marketing method that involves cooperation between different fields and industries. This marketing strategy can not only expand brand influence but also increase game exposure and user stickiness.
Case Study: Louis Vuitton X Riot Games
Louis Vuitton collaborated with Riot Games to design a bespoke travel case, prestige skins, and other digital assets for the 2019 League of Legends World Championship.
In recent years, co-branding marketing between Chinese e-games and brands has become increasingly popular. Here are some successful cross-border joint marketing cases:
Case Study : Onmyoji x Huawei
Image Source: Sina 2020
NetEase’s mobile game Onmyoji collaborated with Huawei to launch a customized smartphone. This phone not only incorporated game elements in its appearance but also came pre-installed with the Onmyoji game. This collaboration made it easier for gamers to enjoy the game and also enhanced Huawei’s brand image among young people.
Case Study : KFC X “Jiangnan Baijingtu”
Firstly, KFC has opened a KFC Sweet Shop in the online game. Besides, KFC has also created a themed store for "Jiangnan Baijingtu" and launched a new co-branded series. In addition, if consumers wear Hanfu (traditional dress of the Han Chinese people) to buy new products at KFC, they have a chance to get heavyweight game cards. This captivates young consumers with a combination of delicious food and fun.
5. Marketing emphasis on Chinese cultural values
In the Chinese gaming market, the trend of cross-border joint marketing is expected to continue to heat up. Western brands that show appreciation for traditional Chinese cultural values would gain more popularity in China.
Case Study: Dovetail Games
For example, every year during Chinese New Year, we promote Dovetail Game’s train simulation games related to the topic of “chunyun”, which means the migration of people to go home during the new year period. The theme of the marketing is strongly linked to the Chinese cultural values of family, togetherness and prosperity.
In the future, cross-border joint marketing will be more diversified, not limited to clothing and peripheral products, but may also involve brands and products from different industries such as automobiles, electronics, and catering. These collaborations will be able to meet the needs of different consumers while increasing brand exposure and user stickiness. Western games would do better partnering with local Chinese brands to promote a sense of national identity.
Western games that want to market their games in China would need to place greater emphasis on creativity and cultural value. These top marketing trends will bring more opportunities and challenges for game companies as well as other brands, requiring joint efforts to innovate and improve. Such marketing strategies can improve the image and reputation of brands and games, increase user stickiness and loyalty.
Do you want to market your game in China?
At Oval Branding, we have experience launching Western games in China with a deep understanding of the marketing landscape as well as tens of thousands of gaming influencers. Our bi-lingual and bi-cultural team is ready to help.
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