gaming

Can China’s Esports Athletes Mount a Comeback?

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

Last year was a disaster for the country’s once dominant esports teams, from “Dota 2” to “Counter-Strike.” What happened?

Zhao Xiaoou

Stakes High as China’s Game Makers Gamble on Overseas Markets

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

As large and small developers attempt to expand abroad in the face of a tough domestic market, industry insiders warn of soaring costs and culture clashes.

Shenran Caijing

Looking for Love in China? Get Into Esports.

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

China has seen a steep decline in the number of young people willing to get married in recent years. But one surprising group bucks the trend: esports fans.

Fan Yiying

Fan Shuying

How Blizzard Lost China

After a series of public relations disasters, the gaming giant behind “World of Warcraft” and “Diablo” has found itself in hot water with Chinese players.

Sun Jing

Millions of Players Bid Farewell as Blizzard Games Exit China 

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Several games such as “Overwatch,” “Hearthstone,” and “World of Warcraft” are now unavailable in China.

Yang Caini

China’s Gaming Curbs ‘Largely Resolved’ Addiction in Minors: Report

Regulators last year limited playtime for children to just one hour on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Inside China’s Brutal Internet Addiction Clinics

Since 2002, thousands of Chinese teenagers have been labeled “internet addicts” and thrown into psychiatric facilities, where they’re subjected to forced medication, military training, and in some cases even electroshock therapy. A new film offers a terrifying glimpse inside the system.

Wu Peiyue

Play Hard, Work Hard: How Black-Market Games Discipline Their Staff

Private game servers — running unauthorized copies of popular online games — are highly profitable, provided operators can find gamers willing to exploit themselves.

Jia Wenjuan

China’s Gaming Limit on Minors Sees 40 Million Fewer Players 

A new report claims the government’s three-hour play time limit has worked, though loopholes to work around the restrictions still exist.

Luo Meihan

How Chinese Studios Are Gamifying Late Capitalism

Chinese gamers have embraced survival simulators grounded in the drudgery of daily life. Is that enough to build real solidarity between workers?

Kong Degang

Shanghai Lockdown Is Now Part of Animal Crossing Game

Creators channel their lockdown experience to build a virtual island on the popular Nintendo Switch game.

China Releases New Games as Regulators Unfreeze License Approval

Analysts forecast about 500 to 700 games will be approved in 2022 altogether.

‘This Game is so Realistic! It Feels Just Like Working Overtime’

Everyone hates China tech’s culture of overwork, but a new game argues that structural incentives tempt bosses to rely on overtime.

The Missing Magic Ingredient Holding Back China’s Gaming Industry

Chinese gaming firms are rolling out big new titles based on hit properties like “Harry Potter.” But even the hits are held back by their focus on competitive multiplayer over story.

Metaverse-Like App Pauses User Registration Over Data Leak Claims 

Zheli had been downloaded nearly 2 million times on iPhone devices since it launched last month.

Wordle-Like Games Slowly Gain Traction on Chinese Social Media 

Many players said domestic versions were trickier and more difficult than the original English word game.

Minors Tricked Into Scams Promising Gaming Curfew Workarounds

Underage players are only allowed three hours of playtime per week under new rules.

Zhu Ruiying

In China’s Online Arena, a Gamer of Fortune Fights to Survive

Paid to help clients win matches online, gaming companions are often forced to work alone, with little support from the industry.

Zhang Yuqi

China’s Elderly Have a New Obsession: Video Games

During the pandemic, seniors have emerged as China’s fastest-growing demographic of new gamers — and gaming influencers.

Liang Jiaqi

Players Decry Sexist Portrayal of Women in ‘Harry Potter’ Game 

Developers at NetEase Games attributed the sexually suggestive expressions to “3D modeling bugs.”