October Domestic Game Market Revenue Plummets 18.1%: Is the 'Winter' Finally Here?

Recently, data for the Chinese game market in October was released, showing total revenue of only 19.768 billion yuan—a staggering 18.1% year-on-year drop. Despite the National Day 'Golden Week' holiday, major event revenue failed to save the trend. Many believe this 'production drop' will be fatal for small and medium-sized studios, effectively putting many in a survival crisis.

The community has been debating the causes. Many point out that this is not just an industry-specific issue, but a ripple effect of a broader economic downturn. As Dawei (CEO of miHoYo) once noted, the real economy is the foundation of everything; when it struggles, the gaming industry cannot remain immune.

Players shared their own stories of 'budget cutting,' admitting that spending on in-game items has been slashed. Analysts argue that since gaming is a 'spiritual consumption' (a non-essential leisure expense), it is often the first to be cut when household disposable income shrinks. Others joked that given the current regulatory climate where acquiring new publishing licenses (Banhao) is notoriously difficult, the market decline is inevitable.