About Mobile Gaming sector in China
The Mobile Gaming sector in China comprises 1.24K companies, including 402 funded companies having collectively raised $3.96B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 151 are Series A+ funded, and 1 has achieved unicorn status.
Mobile Gaming sector in China has seen 31 acquisitions and 29 IPOs. This represents almost 4.8% of all such companies - which is higher than the 4.5% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes companies that enhance the mobile gaming ecosystem in the capacities of Game developers, Gaming Enablers, Gaming Platforms, Game Publishers.
Mobile Gaming sector is also known as Mobile Games or Mobile Game.
Includes: Gaming companies with the core business (major revenue) as the development and publishing of mobile games. The scope also include mobile gaming platforms (which enables the search discovery and online playing of mobile games ) and also gaming enablers ( companies that support game developers in the development, monetization, marketing and distribution of mobile games ). Excludes: Companies that develop mobile games but the core focus remains as PC/Console games and gambling companies that use real money to play games.
Top Mobile Gaming Companies in China
There are 1,241 Mobile Gaming startups in China which include Animoca Brands, Linekong, NetEase Games, Giant Interactive Group, Yodo1. Out of these, 402 startups are funded, with 151 having secured Series A+ funding, and 1 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 1 Mobile Gaming startup in China. Over the past 10 years, an average of 37 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of Tsinghua University, Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University.
Here is the list of top Mobile Gaming startups in China
Digital assets and Web3 company that builds, invests in, and accelerates technologies and ecosystems for gaming. Its operations include the creation of virtual environments, identity management systems, and educational platforms utilizing distributed ledger technology. Services encompass treasury management for institutional entities and the facilitation of digital commerce through stablecoin infrastructure. Projects involve the development of interactive software and decentralized networks for managing ownership of virtual items.
Key facts about Animoca Brands
- Founded Year: 2006
- Location: Hong Kong (China)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $880M
- Investors: Liberty City Ventures, Temasek and 125 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Nov 11, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 77/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 1,030 Competitors
2. Linekong
Linekong is a Chinese online game developer and distributor. Founded in 2007 and starting with PC-based games, Linekong shifted focus to mobile games in 2013. Different from most mobile gaming businesses that start from casual games, Linekong began with mid-heavy games. Three such mobile games, Excalibur, Sword of Heaven and Blade of God, have been launched since March 2013, with the former two being developed in house. Mobile gaming contributed 83.6% of its total revenues in the first quarter of 2014. In 2012, almost all the revenues were from PC-based games. Apart from self-developed and licensed games, Linekong also offers advertising/marketing and other game-related services, such as OKSDK that is for third-party games to publish games on Linekong’s platform 8864.com. The company has partnered with some 200 Chinese channels, app stores, smartphone brands and telecom operators, to promote self-developed and licensed games.
Key facts about Linekong
- Founded Year: 2007
- Location: Beijing (China)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $135M
- Investors: IDG Capital, New Enterprise Associates and 6 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, May 30, 2014, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 76/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 3 of 1,073 Competitors
Developer of multi-platform games across various genres and gaming experiences. The business focuses on creating and publishing titles for diverse platforms. It supports global studios involved in game development. The business is dedicated to providing interactive entertainment experiences.
Key facts about NetEase Games
- Founded Year: 1997
- Location: Guangzhou (China)
- Stage: Funding Raised
- Investors: GreenHills Ventures, Bloom8 and 1 Other
- Tracxn Score: 70/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 14 of 2,630 Competitors
Giant Interactive Group is an MMO game development company based in China. Has developed multiple games including "ZT Online", which is an MMO game. Has also developed a game "Street Basket" for Android and iOS platforms. Has also developed multiple games including "Xian Xia World" - an MMORPG and "Jianghu" - a 2D MMORPG for its clients. Has been awarded as "2016 Top Ten Most Expected Mobile Game Award" at the China Game Industry Annual Conference for "Street Basket". It generates revenue through the in-app purchases.
Key facts about Giant Interactive Group
- Founded Year: 2004
- Location: Shanghai (China)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $164M
- Investors: Yunfeng Capital, GF Securities and 8 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Dec 01, 2017, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 69/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 15 of 11,672 Competitors
5. Yodo1
Yodo1 is an online game publishing platform. Yodo1 enables game developers to adapt, publish, and monetize their games with its API platform. Yodo1 has partnered with various game developers including Robot Entertainment (Texas), XMG Studio (Toronto), Defiant Development (Australia), and HandyGames (Germany).
Key facts about Yodo1
- Founded Year: 2011
- Location: Beijing (China)
- Stage: Series B
- Total Funding till date: $18M
- Investors: Singtel Innov8, Granite Asia and 5 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series B, Dec 10, 2013, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 66/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 4 of 581 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the Mobile Gaming sector in China
1 new startup has been founded so far in 2026 in the Mobile Gaming sector in China. 69 Mobile Gaming startups in China were founded in 2021 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 1 |
2025 | 3 |
2024 | 21 |
2023 | 22 |
2022 | 34 |
2021 | 69 |
2020 | 57 |
2019 | 62 |
2018 | 54 |
2017 | 54 |
Stage-wise distribution of Mobile Gaming sector companies in China
Out of the total 1,241 Mobile Gaming companies in China, 402 have secured funding. Among them, 151 have reached Series A or higher, and 95 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 1,241
Funded - 402
Series A+ - 151
Series B+ - 95
Series C+ - 72
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 1,241 |
Funded | 402 |
Series A+ | 151 |
Series B+ | 95 |
Series C+ | 72 |
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Funding Trends in the Mobile Gaming sector in China
Total funding year-on-year in the Mobile Gaming sector in China
The Mobile Gaming sector in China saw a total funding of more than $2.35B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2022 at more than $648M.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2025 | $18M |
2024 | $42.8M |
2023 | $33.5M |
2022 | $648M |
2021 | $357M |
2020 | $48.4M |
2019 | $66.8M |
2018 | $483M |
2017 | $303M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Mobile Gaming in China
In the year 2025, till November 2025, Mobile Gaming companies in China have raised $10M in equity funding across 1 round.
In the same period last year (i.e. till November 2024), Mobile Gaming companies in China had raised $27.8M across 6 rounds.
So, 2025 has seen a 64.03% drop in funding in Mobile Gaming companies in China as compared to 2024.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Mobile Gaming companies in China:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Series A | 2833 | Nov 19, 2025 | and 1 more | |
Series B | 2704 | Dec 18, 2024 | - | |
Series C | 1149 | Nov 11, 2024 | ||
Seed | 4749 | Oct 14, 2024 | ||
Seed | 2970 | May 09, 2024 |
Top Investors in Mobile Gaming in China
Tencent is the top investor in Mobile Gaming companies in China based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Mobile Gaming companies in China:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Shenzhen (China) | ||
Hong Kong (China) | ||
Hong Kong (China) | ||
Beijing (China) | ||
Tokyo (Japan) |
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M&A activity in Mobile Gaming sector in China
In the year 2026, till March 2026, 1 acquisition happened in Mobile Gaming sector in China.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Mobile Gaming sector in China:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Mar 20, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Nov 01, 2024 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 29, 2024 | ||
Acqui-Hired | Jul 13, 2022 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jan 24, 2022 |
Acquisition trends in Mobile Gaming sector in China
Here are the acquisition trends in Mobile Gaming sector in China:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 1 |
2025 | - |
2024 | 2 |
2023 | - |
2022 | 2 |
2021 | 3 |
2020 | - |
2019 | 1 |
2018 | 2 |
2017 | 2 |
IPOs in Mobile Gaming in China
In the year 2025, till January 2025, 1 IPO happened in Mobile Gaming sector in China.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Mobile Gaming sector in China:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Jan 27, 2025 | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) | |
Dec 16, 2021 | Hong Kong Exchanges (HKG) | |
Jan 28, 2021 | Korea Exchange (KRX) | |
Aug 18, 2020 | Korea Exchange (KRX) | |
Jul 15, 2020 | Hong Kong Exchanges (HKG) |
Colleges which produce the most Mobile Gaming companies in China
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Mobile Gaming in China
Most number of Mobile Gaming startups in China have been founded by alumni from Tsinghua University, Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Tsinghua University | 3 |
Stanford University | 2 |
Carnegie Mellon University | 1 |
Columbia University | 1 |
Harvard University | 1 |
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) | 1 |
INSEAD | 1 |
Kellogg School of Management | 1 |
London School of Economics and Political Science | 1 |
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) | 1 |
Total funding in Mobile Gaming companies founded by alumni from top colleges in China
In the last 10 years, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and The University of British Columbia graduates' Mobile Gaming companies in China have raised the most funding among top colleges, and INSEAD alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) | $52.6M |
The University of British Columbia | $52.6M |
INSEAD | $20M |
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) | $15.4M |
Columbia University | $3.5M |
London School of Economics and Political Science | $3.5M |
Princeton University | $825K |
Tsinghua University | $825K |
Yale University | $825K |
Carnegie Mellon University | - |
Top News in Mobile Gaming in China
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Wuthering Waves Version 3.5 Update and Xbox Series Launch DetailedNotebookcheck Publishing GmbH•Jun 27, 2026•Kuro Games
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MOONTON Games and Red Bull Partner for M7 World ChampionshipWebDisclosure•Jan 15, 2026•MOONTON, Red Bull
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MOONTON Games partners with 1Play for Mobile Legends M7 trading cardsGamingonPhone•Dec 13, 2025•MOONTON, 1Play
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GameCentric & MOONTON Partner Up for Middle East MLBB TournamentsGameCentric•Sep 04, 2025•GameCentric, MOONTON
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ACECRAFT X Tom and Jerry Collaboration Announced by MOONTONKorea Newswire•Aug 22, 2025•MOONTON, Warner Bros
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Standard Chartered forms joint venture to issue stablecoins in Hong KongThe Business Times•Aug 08, 2025•Standard Chartered, Animoca Brands, Anchor Point Financial, HKT
