Publishing games in Asian and Chinese markets: Challenges and Opportunities

What the talk is about

The panel, with Elena Lobova (moderator), Xianzhe Li, Randy Barenscott, Jinghua Huang, Shirley Lin, Taewon Yun and Tamara Feiman, covers publishing games in Asian markets, above all China. The participants disagree on how much players differ between countries, but agree that adaptation goes beyond text and must reach gameplay and monetization. They discuss content restrictions (politics, war topics, violence, sexual content), reliable servers and networking in China, social features, and enough content to keep players engaged. They also cover the fragmented Android market, the fact that Chinese publishers usually want both platforms, and the value of local partners, including for portraying culture correctly. Useful for studios planning an Asian launch.