TecRah

In February 2025, China’s handheld games continued their strong performance in overseas markets. The latest data from Sensor Tower shows that headline products represented by Whiteout Survival continued to lead the revenue list, while MMORPG new game I9 Inferno Nine became the biggest winner in the revenue growth track. Below is an analysis of the market highlights of the month from four dimensions: revenue list, growth list, download list and vendor dynamics.

I. Revenue Chart: Strategy and Synthesis Category Continues to Lead the Way

Whiteout Survival has been the champion for a long time, with accumulated revenue exceeding 2 billion USD DotDotDot Interactive’s 4X strategy game Whiteout Survival has been on top of the overseas revenue chart with the Valentine’s Day event, Marvelous Fantasia, and other updates. Its new elimination gameplay has boosted the daily revenue to reach 2.07 billion USD by the end of February. Through stable operation strategies, such as holiday activities and gameplay innovations, the game has consolidated Dot Interactive’s third place in the Publishers’ Revenue Chart for a number of consecutive periods.

Lemon Microchip was the biggest winner in the synthetic handheld game track Lemon Microchip’s Gossip Harbor and Seaside Escape returned to the No. 40 position in the top 10 revenue charts with 8 and 10 YoY revenue growth, respectively, and 250 and 176 YoY growth, respectively. The Synthesizer category grew by $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion globally in the last 12 months, with LemonWeibo holding a 3.5x advantage in revenue over the category with these two products.

Love interaction and secondary yuan performed brilliantly Stacked Network’s Love and Deep Space, through the strategy of Valentine’s Day limited card drawing and cultivation rewards, drove overseas revenue up by 23% YoY and ranked No. 7 on the revenue list, and its global cumulative revenue exceeded $500 million. In addition, the new secondary yuan game Enigma of S pia, with its cyberpunk art style, was ranked No. 5 on the growth chart within two weeks of its launch, with the U.S. market contributing 63% of its revenue.

MMORPGs and Doomsday Themes Break Out in the Growth Chart

I9 Inferno Nine dominated the Korean market Leniu Games’ hardcore MMORPG I9, with its ambitious worldview and in-depth career system, has been a Top 5 bestseller on Google Play in Korea since February 6, second only to Paradise M. The game has driven the publisher’s revenue growth. The game drove the publisher’s revenue to surge by 110%, making it to the 27th place in China’s handheld game publishers’ revenue list for the first time, and winning the top spot in the growth list.

Last Z Survival Shooter by Florere Game, a blend of post-apocalyptic survival and casual gameplay, ranked No. 4 on the Growth Chart with a 110- and 71-percent YoY increase in revenues in January and February through a mix of evasive shooting and 4X strategy. Its Google Play exclusivity strategy has successfully attracted new users while deepening its character collection and resource management gameplay.

Diversification of new games Besides I9, the traditional simulation game Time Grocery, the strategic tower defense game Plant Master TD Go, and the new RPG game Destiny Sacred Contract and Maiden’s Binding made their debut in the growth chart, showing Chinese manufacturers’ exploration in niche tracks.

Classic IPs and casual games dominated the download chart

Tencent’s PUBG MOBILE Reigns as Champion Despite slight fluctuations in downloads, PUBG MOBILE remained at the top of the overseas download chart, followed by Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

NoWiFi becomes the biggest dark horse Casual game NoWiFi Relaxing Arcade Games, with its lightweight design that does not require internet access, saw a 120% jump in downloads from the previous year, jumping 18 spots to No. 3, reflecting user demand for casual games during the holiday season.

NetEase and Tencent led the pack, with emerging players on the rise.

NetEase, the top player, achieved a 12-month high in daily sales with its Egg Party and Hulu Brothers Nipple Dragon campaign, and was the runner-up on the publisher’s revenue chart. Tencent ranked among the top four in China’s iOS revenue chart. Synthesis and Strategy Track Lemon Microgaming Jiang Entertainment Interactive Top Heroes Pocket Wizards achieved revenue growth through long-term operation, and took the leading position in the synthesis and strategy categories respectively. Breakthrough in Korean market Leniu Games became a benchmark for emerging players by breaking through the red sea of Korean MMORPG market through I9.

Summary and Trend Outlook

China’s handheld game overseas in February 2025 shows three major trends

Gameplay fusion innovation such as Last Z combines shooting and strategy, I9 deepens MMORPG hardcore experience

Outbreak of segmentation Synthetic handheld game revenues grew significantly, and niche tracks such as secondary yuan simulation and management emerged

Regional market cultivation South Korea and the United States have become the proving ground for new games, and localized content and art style have become the key.

As competition in the global handheld game market intensifies, Chinese manufacturers need to continue to consolidate their advantages through gameplay innovation, IP linkage and refined operation.