When domestic game manufacturers are busy analyzing overseas markets and preparing to go overseas with great ambitions, foreign manufacturers are also studying us.As the world's largest mobile game market, Western game manufacturers are trying to seek cooperation and try to find the right way to enter the Chinese mobile game market.While there have been a few successes, most Western games have failed in China.

Recently, GameRefinery, an overseas data analysis company, released an analysis report.The report selects the top 100 games in the App Store in China and the United States as samples, and analyzes the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western mobile games and game markets.

The following is the translation of the report by the mobile game:

Differences in game theme, art style and music style

GameRefinery believes that the most obvious difference between Chinese and Western mobile games lies in the art style and music style.

GameRefinery found after classification and comparison that fantasy themes, Three Kingdoms themes, and games with high-value characters account for a high proportion of the Top 100 in the Chinese market.Conversely, cartoon and modern art style games are not as popular in China compared to the US.

GameRefinery also found that high-quality game dubbing and opening screens are very popular among Chinese mobile games.But these two materials will lead to an increase in the size of the game package, and usually a large game package is not popular in the West.In addition, these elements have a short service life in the game, and Western developers prefer to use materials that can be reused in the game to reduce development costs and development time.

Game controllability

GameRefinery said that Chinese players preferA game with multi-touch operation mode and free control of game characters.Although with the rise of PUBG, "Fortnite" and other games, this type of operation game has begun to become popular in the West, but overall, Western players still prefer single-touch operation games.Chinese players don't like automatic battles, which are usually presented to players later in the game in order to shift the player's focus to the early stage when most of the recharge has been completed.

GameRefinery pointed out that Chinese developers have also changed the settings for the login (visit) duration.Initially, limiting login (access) duration (i.e. losing health on failure) was the primary monetization mechanism for the gaming industry.From the perspective of game planning, the original purpose of limiting the login (access) duration of levels is to limit the consumption speed of content.After all, users consume content faster than they can be produced.

For this problem, China's top game developers solve it in this way: they do not limit the login (visit) time of the level, but limit the content consumption speed.They may pause or slow down the game's progress, but rarely restrict players from meaningfully interacting with the game.In China, it is not common to limit the duration of checkpoint login (visit).This proportion accounts for 33% of the best-selling games.Popular Chinese games are more forward-thinking than the West in allowing some form of unrestricted interaction.

Gradual growth system and patience for monetization

GameRefinery believes that another major feature of Chinese mobile games is that they have a gradual growth system and never give players too muchpressure.

Although in Chinese games, a large number of systems and gameplay may seem complicated, the teaching guidance in the game is very good.It usually takes several months to fully unlock all the mechanics of the game.The game content that players are exposed to on the first day may be completely different from the 30th day or even later.

Although all games have upgrade, currency, value-added, props and other systems, Chinese games will use theseThe content is more in-depth.The key to the success of China's top games is that they know how to make players more immersed in the game.Instead of putting pressure on the player, it slowly introduces new mechanics into the game over time.

Chinese developers are also more patient with the cash flow.Chinese games allow players to immerse themselves deeper without short-term pay.It is true that top game publishers have many monetization methods, but before players further enter the game, no amount of high profits can attract them.

Chinese games have a more mature social system

GameRefinery believes that Chinese mobile gamesThe head product of the game incorporates a profound social concept, which is lacking in Western mobile games.

Compared with Western mobile games, Chinese games have diversified PVP or PVE gameplay, guild gameplay, cooperative missions, etc.; while most of the top products have mature chat functions and spectator functions.These features serve as social bonds between players, whether they are competing or cooperating with each other.

In addition, GameRefinery also pointed out that Chinese MMORPG games retain a game mechanism that has been eliminated in the West-daily task rewards.From the perspective of game designers, it can reduce the learning pressure of players.Because Daily Missions allow players to gain a deeper understanding of the game's updated items, characters, mechanics, and more.

It's like an episode in the middle of the Pokémon TV anime - showing the outline of a character and asking viewers to guess its name.While the main purpose of the show is to make sure viewers watch the commercials, it actually helps viewers gain a deeper understanding of the anime's worldview and brand recognition in this way.