Pixels, Profit and Power: Trajectories of China’s Video Game Industry an Industry Analysis in a Dynamic Global Context

This thesis studies China’s rise in the context of globalization and digitalization, with a special focus on the video game industry. The introduction explains the aim of the research and the methods used. Chapter One reviews the changes in the world economy after World War II, from the 2008 financial crisis to the US-China trade tensions. It shows how China moved toward the center of the global stage through policies such as Reform and Opening, joining the WTO, and the Belt and Road Initiative. Chapter Two looks at the development of the global video game industry, paying attention to the growth of mobile games and the change of business models. It also studies the cases of Animal Crossing and Genshin Impact during the COVID-19 pandemic to show the social and cultural role of games. Chapter Three analyzes Tencent, NetEase, and miHoYo, combining their history, strategies, and financial data, showing their different ways of growing and their competitive advantages. The conclusion focuses on the significance of China’s video game industry in the global economy and culture, and points out future challenges such as regulations, international competition, and technological innovation. conclusively, China is expected, by relying on innovation and cultural influence, to play an increasingly important role in the global gaming industry.

本论文探讨了全球化与数字化背景下中国的崛起，并将电子游戏产业作为主要研究对象。引言部分说明了研究的目的和方法。第一章回顾了二战后国际经济格局的变化，从2008年金融危机到中美贸易摩擦，分析了中国如何通过改革开放、加入世贸组织和“一带一路”等政策逐渐走向国际舞台的中心。第二章回顾了全球电子游戏产业的发展，重点分析了移动游戏的兴起与商业模式的演变，并结合《集合啦！动物森友会》和《原神》在新冠疫情期间的案例，说明了游戏在社会与文化层面的作用。第三章以腾讯、网易和米哈游为案例，结合它们的历史、战略和财务数据，表现不同企业的发展路径和竞争优势。结论部分集中中国游戏产业在全球经济与文化格局中的意义，并提出未来可能面临的挑战，包括规则制定、国际竞争和技术创新。总体来看，中国有望凭借创新与文化影响力在全球游戏产业中发挥越来越重要的作用。