China (Ep. 20)

In this episode of the Gamecraft podcast, Mitch Lasky and Blake Robbins delve into the modern video game business in China, highlighting its rise to global superpower status. They discuss China's competitive advantages, including its large, skilled labor pool, early adoption of free-to-play models, and government restrictions that inadvertently pushed Chinese publishers to expand globally. The hosts analyze the strategies of major players like TenCent and Netease, including their strategic investments and acquisitions in Western companies. They also touch on the historical roots of China's gaming dominance, such as piracy and console bans, and examine the emergence of successful Chinese-developed AAA games like Black Myth Wukong. The episode concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the potential impact of trade wars and the increasing globalization of Chinese game studios.