China Approves 158 Games in May, Licensing Accelerates in 2026
China's National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) has granted approvals for 158 games in its latest licensing round, which is part of a broader trend of increasing licensing activity in 2026. This batch includes 154 domestic titles and four imported games, along with amendments for nine previously licensed titles that now have expanded platforms. This marks the fourth round of approvals in 2026, bringing the total to 779 licensed games for the year, of which 754 are domestic and 25 are imported.
The approvals reflect a 19% increase year-to-date in game licensing compared to the same period last year, according to Niko Partners. Among the newly approved games, 135 are mobile titles, two are for PC, and 17 are cross-platform. The imported titles include two mobile games alongside two cross-platform releases. Noteworthy entries in this batch feature Tencent's anime-inspired RPG Chasing Kaleidorider, an unannounced wuxia extraction game from NetEase, and Nuverse's party game Totpia. Other developers such as 4399 and Lilith Games also secured approvals. Niko Partners projects that over 2,300 games will be approved in China by the end of this year.
Original source
PocketGamer.biz
