Shanghai's Xuhui district has emerged as a burgeoning hub for the game industry and is inviting professionals worldwide to the 2025 China Game Industry Annual Conference, which will take place from Dec 17 to 19.

As the home of more than 70 leading game companies, including Chinese video game developer and publisher miHoYo, Xuhui has established itself as a global center for game innovation.

The district's game revenue exceeded 70 billion yuan ($9.92 billion) in 2024, nearly half of Shanghai's total.

More than 700 artificial intelligence model companies are now based in Xuhui, providing strong technological support for the sector.

The district is home to China's first government-operated game industry service center and five major incubators for the industry, including the Caohejing Light of Hope Game Cluster.

Industrial synergy

Xuhui's West Bund and Caohejing Development Zone house almost 60 percent of Shanghai's game companies.

Chinese technology conglomerates Tencent and NetEase have established regional headquarters in the district, while miHoYo's global headquarters leverages hit products such as Genshin Impact to expand worldwide.

Market players from overseas are also present. Garena from Singapore and Ubisoft from France have both established core studios in the district, with a focus on game research and development, and global distribution.

National platforms based in Xuhui include the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, which provides key technical support. The district is also home to the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, the country's first incubator designed for large language models.

The 1.9-kilometer-long "NeoWorld", a metaverse-theme block, integrates game R&D, distribution, and consumption.

Cultural landmarks such as the West Bund Art Center and the West Bund Museum create immersive "game + culture" and "game + technology" scenarios.

​Enterprise services

Xuhui's impressive achievements in the game industry are attributed to its "service + support + guidance" system, offering lifecycle assistance for companies.

A representative from miHoYo said that securing a license through the Xuhui District Game Industry Service Center took only one day.

The center, which sits in the heart of "NeoWorld", is supported by district authorities and more than 30 professional institutions.

Policies continue to strengthen the industry. In March 2025, the Several Opinions of Xuhui District on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Cultural and Creative Industry was released, prioritizing games and esports. Its forthcoming implementation rules on supporting games and esports will outline support across eight areas with funding of up to 30 million yuan.

Xuhui has also developed an intellectual property protection system. In 2024, district departments, along with game companies, formed a copyright protection alliance. In October 2025, Shanghai's first full-chain IP protection center was established in Xuhui. Meanwhile, the district unveiled the Management Specification for Trade Secrets of Online Game Enterprises, the first of its kind in China.

Development plan

Xuhui plans to establish three centers and one platform: a select game R&D center, a global distribution center, an innovation value expansion center, and a high-quality development service platform.

The district will encourage new business models such as the "goods economy", which connects the consumer products with the worlds of anime, comics, games, novels, and cosplay. It will promote "China chic + technology", deepen the integration of games and intangible cultural heritage, convert online traffic into offline consumption, and facilitate the fusion of AI models and game scenarios to create new forms of gameplay.

Source: Xuhui district government

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