A new report by Niko Partners reveals that nearly two-thirds of PC gamers in China spent more on games in 2024 compared to other platforms. The China Gamer Behaviour and Markets Report, based on a survey of 1,079 gamers in April 2024, indicates that 19% of PC gamers spent at least 30% more on games this year than last year. This underscores a significant increase in expenditure on PC games among Chinese gamers.
The report highlights Steam as the leading PC distribution platform in China, with almost 80% of PC gamers who purchase premium titles utilizing it. Interestingly, most of these players access the international version of Steam without the need for a VPN, indicating a strong preference for the platform’s global offerings. This dominance of Steam showcases its importance in the Chinese PC gaming market.
Additionally, the report notes that 44% of surveyed gamers watch video game and esports livestreams, with 69% using Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, for this purpose. Short-form content plays a crucial role in game discovery, with 45% of respondents finding new games through such platforms.
This trend ranks top for PC and mobile gamers and fourth for console players, highlighting the growing influence of short-form videos in gaming culture.
In the mobile gaming segment, the mini-game category has experienced substantial growth, reaching approximately 650 million players. Two-thirds of these mobile gamers play mini-games daily or several times a week.
According to Niko Partners CEO Lisa Hanson, these findings suggest a positive outlook for player spending growth, especially in the PC gaming sector. The emergence of alternative game discovery methods and the sustained access to international Steam versions point to new marketing and monetization opportunities in the Chinese gaming market.
