China Has 722 Million Gamers, but Only the Switch 2 Is in Demand

China has firmly secured its position as the global center of gaming. According to The Game Business podcast, featuring analyst Daniel Ahmad and Lisa Cosmas Hanson from Niko Partners, there are 722 million active players in the country — roughly twice the entire population of the United States.

By the end of 2024, China’s video game market was valued at $49.2 billion. It is projected to exceed $50 billion in 2025, marking a 3.6% year‑over‑year increase. Analysts expect this expansion to continue at least through 2029.

An interesting detail: consoles represent only about 3% of the market. Approximately 70% of Chinese players favor smartphones, while the remaining 30% play on PCs. In a market where mobile gaming has become the norm, consoles face a steep challenge.

The reason is simple: consoles arrived in China much later than in other regions, so their market share has grown slowly. Experts debate whether that trend can be changed. Still, the new Nintendo Switch 2 enjoyed a strong debut — even though it isn’t officially sold on the mainland, many customers are importing it from Hong Kong.

Source: iXBT.games