Ahead of the opening of the 2025 China International Game Developers Conference in Shanghai's North Bund, a business promotion symposium focusing on the gaming industry was held in Hongkou district on July 30, bringing together gaming entrepreneurs from around the world.

Hongkou boasts rich cultural and tourism resources, well-developed exhibition infrastructure, convenient transportation, and a robust business environment, all of which contribute to its unique advantages for developing the gaming industry.

The district has built a comprehensive industrial chain that spans game development, publishing, and operations, and is home to numerous leading enterprises, including several foreign-invested companies.

At the symposium, local authorities presented Hongkou's latest industrial policies, development plans, and a range of support measures tailored to the gaming industry. A dedicated framework was introduced to promote growth across 10 strategic areas: game development, publishing, international expansion, esports events, animation production, platform distribution, content upgrades, consumer market transformation, industry exchange, and content integration.

Game developers from China, Japan, Europe, and beyond participated in the event, sharing insights into their businesses, offering suggestions for industry development, and exploring opportunities for future collaboration.

Yves Bléhaut, senior vice-president of strategic partnerships at French game company Microids, said the company has many partners in China who help local game studios bring their titles to Europe. He was impressed by Hongkou's supportive policies and business environment, and expressed hope to find more local investors and companies to collaborate with.

"China is developing rapidly and has a wealth of exceptional talent. I am interested in setting up a company here and hope Hongkou can help connect us with top local talent to support our business," said Leona Takahashi, a Japanese entrepreneur and CEO of Xiamen Leona Software.

In recent years, Hongkou has actively promoted the creative transformation and innovative development of culture, placing strong emphasis on fostering its cultural and creative industries.

The district has identified the gaming sector — particularly animation and esports — as a strategic priority to foster new quality productive forces.

The district also encourages enterprises to collaborate with internationally renowned companies, technical teams, and publishing platforms to bring in advanced technologies and management expertise. Efforts to expand into global markets through localized operations and cross-cultural marketing are strongly supported, helping to elevate China's gaming industry onto the world stage.

Source: Hongkou district government