Visitors participate in the 21st China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

The curtains have just gone down on the 21st China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference – better known as ChinaJoy 2024 – which took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, situated in East China's Shanghai.

It drew a staggering crowd of 367,000 fans over four action-packed days, with the event hosting 743 exhibitors and welcoming 8,200 overseas visitors – marking a truly international celebration of digital entertainment.

Statistics from this year's expo revealed a demographic breakdown that mirrored the evolving landscape of the industry. Among the attendees, 68 percent were male, 42 percent hailed from Shanghai and a significant 68.4 percent fell within the age range of 18 to 49.

This was said to reflect the diverse appeal of digital entertainment across various demographics.

One of the standout trends at ChinaJoy has been the continuation of the meteoric rise of mini program mobile games, which has taken place over the past two decades.

The revenue generated by these games last year hit a whopping  16.603 billion yuan ($2.29 billion), marking a remarkable 60.5 percent year-on-year increase and sustaining high-speed growth for the third consecutive year.

WeChat's mini program games made a grand entrance at this year's expo, leveraging its massive user base of 1 billion users, with 500 million users engaging monthly – highlighting the immense opportunities presented by the flexible and engaging gaming platforms.

While ChinaJoy 2024 has concluded, its impact is said to be continuing to reverberate throughout the city of Shanghai.

Holders of the event's ticket stubs can still enjoy discounts on a myriad of cultural and tourism activities, including the captivating exhibition Meet Napoleon: The Disappeared Palaces

at the Meet You Museum Shanghai and a cutting-edge VR immersive experience project entitled Eternal Notre Dame at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.

Collaborating with prominent enterprises – such as Bailian, UnionPay, Shanghai Jiushi, and Ctrip – the expo has launched eight collective activities and exclusive discounts, along with hosting 100 exhibitions, performances, and commercial events across the city.

Source: Shanghai Observer