How to Choose a Chinese Game Publisher

With more than 670 million players, China is one of the world’s largest gaming markets. However, foreign developers cannot simply submit a commercial game to Chinese app stores in the same way they would in most international markets.

Games generally require a Game Publishing ISBN (网络游戏出版物号) from the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), alongside a licensed Chinese publisher, a qualified operating entity and several technical compliance systems.

Choosing the right publishing partner is therefore not simply about finding a company that can submit an ISBN application. Your partner may influence how your game is localised, modified, operated, distributed and monetised in China.

This guide explains how China’s game publishing structure works, how to evaluate potential publishers and operators, which commercial and contractual terms require particular attention, and which warning signs developers should avoid.

Why Do Foreign Developers Need a Game Publisher in China?

Commercial games generally require a Game Publishing ISBN before they can legally operate and generate revenue in Mainland China.

The ISBN applies to games monetised through, in-app purchases, paid downloads, subscriptions, advertising, and other commercial models.

The approval is issued by the NPPA and records the game’s:

• Approved Chinese name
• Publishing unit
• Operating unit
• Approval document number
• Publication number
• Approval date

An imported game cannot normally be submitted directly by its overseas developer. The application must be made through a Chinese publishing unit holding a Web Publishing Service Licence (网络出版服务许可证) that specifically covers online games.

The Chinese operating entity must also hold a Commercial ICP Licence. For imported games, the overseas rightsholder’s authorisation must undergo copyright-contract registration in China. For a complete explanation of the regulatory process, read our guides to publishing a mobile game in China and obtaining a Game Publishing ISBN.

What Is the Difference Between a Game Publisher and a Game Operator?

China’s game publishing system separates publishing and operation into two different functions.

What Does the Game Publisher Do?

The publishing unit is responsible for reviewing the game and submitting its application for publication approval.

Its responsibilities normally include:

• Reviewing the game’s content
• Checking the operator’s qualifications
• Reviewing application documents
• Preparing an editorial review report
• Submitting the application through the provincial publishing authority
• Communicating requests for corrections or modifications
• Monitoring whether the published game remains consistent with its approved version

Only a publishing unit whose Web Publishing Service Licence includes online-game publishing can perform this role.

What Does the Game Operator Do?

The operating unit is responsible for the commercial and technical operation of the game.

Its responsibilities may include:

• Player accounts
• Payments and monetisation
• Real-name verification
• Anti-addiction controls
• Chinese hosting
• Data processing
• Customer support
• Community moderation
• App-store accounts
• Game updates
• Continuing regulatory compliance

The operator must hold a Commercial ICP Licence, sometimes called a B25 Licence or ICP许可证.

What Qualifications Should a Chinese Game Publisher Have?

The proposed publishing unit must hold a valid Web Publishing Service Licence with online games included in its authorised scope.

You should verify:

• The publisher’s registered legal name
• Its licence number
• Its permitted publishing scope
• Its licence expiration date
• Whether it handles imported games
• Whether the contracting entity matches the licensed entity
• Whether it has capacity to accept your project

The NPPA provides an official Network Publishing Service Provider Database, which can be used to confirm whether a proposed publishing unit is licensed.

Holding the licence is only the minimum requirement. It does not necessarily mean that the publisher has experience with imported games, complex live-service games or your intended distribution platform.

How Can You Check a Publisher’s Approval History?

The NPPA publishes official lists of approved games. These records identify the game’s name, the publishing and operating entity, the approval document number, publication number and the approval date.

This makes it possible to check whether a publisher’s claimed experience is genuine.

As of 22 July 2026, the NPPA’s 2026 imported-game approval list contained 37 games. Jiangsu Phoenix Electronic and Audio-Visual Publishing accounted for seven approvals, while Jiangsu Phoenix Digital Media accounted for six. Together, these two publishing units handled 13 of the 37 imported games approved at that point.

This shows that imported-game approval experience is concentrated among a relatively limited number of publishing units. The complete records can be checked in the NPPA’s 2026 imported-game approval list.

Which Chinese Game Publishers Have Handled Notable Games?

Approval history is one of the most useful ways to assess a publisher’s experience. The NPPA publishes each approved game’s publishing unit, operating unit, publication number and approval date.

The following publishing units have handled games ranging from large international franchises to domestic mobile titles.

Publishing unit	Examples of approved games
北京联合出版有限责任公司	Dungeons of Hinterberg; Fortress Expedition
北京中娱在线网络科技有限公司	Reworld; Crazy Snowball; Shushan Yufengxing
北京北纬通信科技股份有限公司	SimCity BuildIt; Need for Speed: No Limits; The Sims FreePlay; The Room; Golf Clash; Sniper Champions
北京艺科电子出版社有限公司	Fate/Grand Order; Summoners War: Sky Arena; Ensemble Stars!; 100 Sleeping Princes and the Kingdom of Dreams
华东师范大学电子音像出版社有限公司	VALORANT; Rainbow Six Siege; The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross; Digimon: Source Code; How to Train Your Dragon: The Journey; Rotaeno
上海同济大学电子音像出版社	One Piece: Dream Pointer; Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim; MUSYNC
上海科学技术文献出版社	Dungeon & Fighter Mobile; Gintama Gathering; Bridge Constructor Portal; Brotato; an Uncharted Waters title
重庆华龙网集团股份有限公司	Supersonic Blitz; Gadel Contract; Island Hunter
江苏凤凰数字传媒有限公司	Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent; Enter the Gungeon; Cooking Diary; Ragnarok titles
辽宁电子出版社有限责任公司	Alto’s Adventure; Alto’s Odyssey; Forager; Cooking Simulator; Ultimate Fishing Simulator
湖北省扬子江影音有限责任公司	Demon Secret Realm; My Little Flower Fairy; Heavenly Book
成都盈众九州网络科技有限公司	Dead Cells; Uma Musume: Pretty Derby; Alice Gear Aegis; Ultraman: Assemble; Soul Land titles
浙江出版集团数字传媒有限公司	Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain; Werewolf Showdown; Xuan Zhong Ji
深圳中青宝互动网络股份有限公司	Monster Train; Passpartout: The Starving Artist; The House of Da Vinci 2; LoveChoice; Last Wood

These records show that the publishers have experience processing game approvals. However, their relevance depends on the particular game.

For example:

• A Western mobile-game developer may find 北京北纬通信科技股份有限公司 relevant because of its experience with SimCity BuildIt, Need for Speed, The Sims, The Room and Golf Clash.
• A developer with a major competitive or licensed international title may consider 华东师范大学电子音像出版社有限公司 relevant because its portfolio includes VALORANT, Rainbow Six Siege, Digimon and The Seven Deadly Sins.
• An indie PC or premium-game developer may pay particular attention to publishers that have handled titles such as Dead Cells, Enter the Gungeon, Brotato, Dungeons of Hinterberg, Forager and Monster Train.
• A Japanese or South Korean mobile-game developer may prioritise publishers with experience involving Fate/Grand Order, Summoners War, Ensemble Stars!, Uma Musume or Alice Gear Aegis.

Developers should nevertheless check the named operating company for each approval. A strong regulatory publishing record does not automatically demonstrate equally strong marketing, distribution or live-operation capabilities.

The records can be checked through the NPPA game-approval results and AppInChina’s English-language China Game Licence Database.

What Kind of Publishing Experience Should You Look For?

Ask potential publishers for examples that are comparable to your game in terms of:

• Imported rather than domestically owned IP
• Mobile, PC, console or mini-game format
• Genre
• Monetisation model
• Multiplayer functionality
• Live-service complexity
• User-generated content
• Target age group
• Content sensitivity
• Intended app stores or platforms
• Expected commercial scale

Useful questions include:

• How many imported games have you submitted in the last three years?
• How many of those games received approval?
• Which approved games are most similar to ours?
• How many applications required material content changes?
• How many projects were returned for correction?
• How long did internal publisher review take?
• How long did the overall process take?
• Can you provide references from other overseas developers?

A publisher may not be able to disclose confidential revenue or application details. However, it should still be able to provide anonymised examples and explain its process clearly.

Should the Publisher Assess Your Game Before You Sign?

A publisher should conduct a preliminary content and technical assessment before accepting the project or estimating its approval timeline. The publisher should identify content that must be removed, content that should be modified, features requiring additional review, technical systems that must be added, elements that could reduce the likelihood of approval

A publisher that promises guaranteed approval without reviewing the game should be treated with caution. The publisher can improve the quality of the application, but only the NPPA can make the final approval decision.

What Should the Publisher Include in the ISBN Application?

The NPPA’s application requirements for imported online games include:

• A qualified publishing unit
• A Chinese operator with an ICP Licence
• Copyright-contract registration
• Corporate and licensing documents
• An operating agreement where the operator and rightsholder differ
• At least ten game screenshots
• The complete Chinese-language script
• A prohibited-word library
• A playable review build
• Administrator accounts
• Anti-addiction test accounts
• A description of the minor-protection system
• An internal review report
• A demonstration video lasting at least ten minutes

The Chinese script must cover all text appearing in the game, including, dialogue, missions, system messages, item names, character names, interface text, story descriptions, notices and instructions . The review build, script, screenshots and demonstration video must represent the same version of the game.

A reliable publisher should provide application templates, submission checklists and a clear version-control procedure. The official requirements are available in the NPPA’s guidance for imported online-game approvals.

How Important Is the Publisher’s Localisation Capability?

Regulatory localisation involves more than translating the game into Simplified Chinese.

A suitable partner should be able to manage:

• Simplified Chinese translation
• Chinese game naming
• Interface localisation
• Image and video localisation
• Cultural adaptation
• Content modification
• Terminology consistency
• Store-page localisation
• Script extraction
• Prohibited-word filtering

The developer should retain appropriate approval rights over the Chinese game name, character redesigns, material story changes and other uses of its IP. Poor localisation may not prevent approval, but it can seriously affect player acquisition, retention and monetisation after launch.

Can the Publisher Handle Technical Localisation?

Many international games depend on services that are unavailable or unreliable in Mainland China. These may include:

• Google Play Services
• Firebase
• Facebook SDKs
• Overseas cloud regions
• International payment systems
• Western push-notification services
• Global advertising networks
• Overseas analytics platforms

The publisher or operator should perform a technical audit before providing a final proposal.

The audit should examine:

• Blocked or unreliable dependencies
• Chinese cloud deployment
• Network performance
• Player accounts
• Payments
• Analytics
• Advertising
• Push notifications
• Social sharing
• Customer support
• Data processing
• Anti-cheat systems
• App-store SDKs

Ask the potential partner:

• Which services must be removed or replaced?
• Who will complete the engineering work?
• Is technical conversion included in the price?
• Which Chinese cloud provider will be used?
• Who will control the cloud account?
• Who will pay for hosting and bandwidth?
• How will the Chinese and international builds be maintained?
• Who will respond to outages and security incidents?
• Will the developer receive administrator access?
• Can the infrastructure be transferred after termination?

A company may have significant regulatory publishing experience without having the technical resources required to operate a live game. These capabilities should be evaluated separately.

Can the Publisher Implement Real-Name Verification and Anti-Addiction Controls?

All online games must implement China’s real-name verification and minor-protection requirements.

Users must register and log in using valid identity information. Games must also connect to the national real-name verification system.

Minors may generally receive online-game services only between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on:

• Fridays
• Saturdays
• Sundays
• Statutory holidays

The operator should be able to implement and maintain:

• Real-name authentication
• Minor identification
• Login restrictions
• Playing-time controls
• Spending limits
• Health notices
• Age-appropriate content indicators
• Guardian complaints
• Regulatory reporting

These systems are reviewed during the ISBN application. The publisher must submit an explanation of the systems and provide suitable test accounts.

For more information, see the NPPA’s minor-protection requirements.

Which Other Licences and Filings Should the Partner Handle?

The ISBN is only one part of publishing a mobile game in China.

Depending on the game and distribution structure, the complete compliance package may include:

• Commercial ICP Licence
• Game Publishing ISBN
• Copyright-contract registration
• Software copyright documentation
• ICP Filing
• Mobile App Filing
• Real-name verification
• Anti-addiction integration
• Privacy documentation
• Chinese infrastructure
• App-store registrations

Ask whether each potential partner offers only ISBN application support or a complete publishing and operating service.

Requirement	What to confirm
Commercial ICP Licence	Which operating company provides it?
ISBN application	Which licensed publishing unit submits it?
Copyright registration	Who registers the overseas authorisation?
Software copyright documentation	Is it needed for the intended distribution route?
ICP Filing	Which entity and domain will be used?
Mobile App Filing	Who completes and maintains it?
Real-name verification	Which technical system will be integrated?
Anti-addiction controls	Who implements, tests and updates them?
Chinese hosting	Which cloud provider and account will be used?
App-store distribution	Which stores and legal entities are included?

Where possible, supporting filings and technical work should be completed while the ISBN application is under review. This reduces the risk of receiving approval but being unable to launch immediately.

How Long Should a Chinese Game Publisher Take?

The complete publishing process for an imported game commonly takes approximately 6–12 months. Around 12 months is a reasonable planning assumption for a standard project, although more complex games may take longer.

An indicative timeline is:

Stage	Typical activity
Initial assessment	Review the game’s content, technology and commercial model
Localisation	Translate and adapt the game for China
Publisher review	Test the build and identify required modifications
Documentation	Prepare rights, corporate and application materials
Provincial review	Submit through the relevant provincial authority
NPPA review	Complete formal content and publication review
Post-approval launch	Complete distribution and remaining platform requirements

The NPPA states a processing period of 80 working days from formal acceptance. This does not include the complete preparation and publishing process.

It may exclude:

• Contract negotiations
• Translation
• Content modifications
• Copyright-contract registration
• Internal publisher review
• Provincial review
• Waiting before formal acceptance
• Correction requests
• Post-approval distribution

Ask the publisher to provide separate estimates for preparation, submission, formal review and launch. A promise to obtain approval within exactly 80 working days may refer only to the statutory review stage.

Which Distribution Channels Should a Publisher Support?

China does not have a single dominant Android distribution channel equivalent to Google Play. Developers normally need to distribute across several independent stores.

Important channels include:

• Apple App Store China
• Huawei AppGallery
• Tencent MyApp
• Vivo App Store
• Xiaomi Market
• OPPO Software Store
• Honor App Market
• TapTap
• Bilibili

Depending on the game, other channels may include:

• WeChat Mini Games
• Douyin Mini Games
• PC platforms
• Console platforms
• Cloud-gaming services

Ask the publisher to identify:

• Every store included in the proposal
• The legal entity controlling each store account
• Required SDKs
• Payment arrangements
• Store commission
• Submission responsibilities
• Update procedures
• Marketing opportunities
• Reporting access
• Player-account ownership

A general promise of “Android distribution” is not enough. Each store has its own submission process, SDK requirements and commercial terms.

How Should You Compare Publisher Revenue Shares?

Game publishing agreements may use several commercial models.

Model	How it works	Main consideration
Fixed service fee	The developer pays for publishing and compliance services	The publisher may have limited incentive after launch
Revenue share	The publisher receives part of the game’s revenue	The definition of net revenue
Minimum guarantee	The publisher pays an advance against future earnings	Recoupment and rights granted
Exclusive China licence	The publisher receives broad Chinese commercial rights	Loss of developer control
Joint operation	Several parties share operation and revenue	Complex deductions and responsibilities

Chinese Android stores may retain around 50% of game revenue under joint-operation arrangements that use the store’s payment and login SDKs. Apple generally follows its standard commission structure, commonly 30% or 15% for eligible developers.

The publisher or operator may receive another share after the platform commission.

You should therefore request a complete revenue waterfall showing:

1. Gross player spending
2. Platform commission
3. Taxes
4. Refunds and chargebacks
5. Payment-processing expenses
6. Marketing expenditure
7. Operating costs
8. Publisher or operator share
9. Developer payment

A publisher offering 50% of “net revenue” may provide a less favourable deal than one offering 30% of a clearly defined and less heavily deducted revenue base.

The agreement should specify whether costs such as advertising, hosting, localisation and customer support can be deducted before the developer’s share is calculated.

Which Contract Terms Should You Review Carefully?

Who Owns the Game and Localised Assets?

The developer should normally retain ownership of:

• Source code
• Game IP
• Characters
• Artwork
• Trademarks
• Global publishing rights
• Sequels
• Adaptation rights
• Merchandising rights

The Chinese partner should receive a licence limited by:

• Territory
• Platforms
• Language
• Duration
• Purpose
• Exclusivity
• Sublicensing rights

The agreement should separately address ownership of Chinese translations, marketing assets, player communities and any locally developed content.

How Should Exclusivity be Structured?

China exclusivity should be connected to measurable obligations, including:

• Application-submission deadline
• Launch deadline
• Minimum marketing expenditure
• Store coverage
• Staffing commitments
• Service levels
• Reporting
• Revenue targets

The publisher should not be able to retain exclusive rights indefinitely without submitting, launching or actively supporting the game.

Who Approves Content Changes?

The agreement should state who has final approval over:

• Chinese game name
• Translation
• Character modifications
• Story changes
• Monetisation changes
• Advertising materials
• Influencer campaigns
• Brand collaborations
• New content
• AI-generated assets

The publisher needs the ability to recommend or implement mandatory compliance changes. However, material modifications to the developer’s IP should require approval.

Who Controls the Player Data?

The contract should establish:

• Which party controls player accounts
• Where data is stored
• Who can access raw data
• Which reports the developer receives
• Who handles user requests
• Who responds to security incidents
• Whether data can be transferred outside China
• Whether the publisher can use the data for other games
• What happens to the data after termination

Foreign developers should not assume that they will automatically receive unrestricted access to Chinese player-level data.

What Reporting and Audit Rights does the Developer have?

Require:

• Regular financial statements
• Platform-level revenue reports
• Defined payment dates
• Currency-conversion rules
• Supporting records
• Independent audit rights
• Restrictions on related-party charges
• Consequences for late payment

What Happens if the Partnership Ends?

The agreement should explain:

• What happens if approval is refused
• What happens if the application is delayed
• When exclusivity terminates
• Who retains localised assets
• Whether store accounts can be transferred
• How player accounts are migrated
• How outstanding revenue is paid
• Whether the outgoing partner must support a regulatory change

The approved game record names specific publishing and operating entities. Changing the publisher, game name or principal operator requires a regulatory change procedure. Significant upgrades or new expansion content may also require further approval.

What Are the Warning Signs of an Unsuitable Publisher?

Be cautious if a potential partner:

• Guarantees ISBN approval
• Promises an implausibly short timeline
• Refuses to identify the publishing unit
• Refuses to identify the operating company
• Cannot demonstrate recent imported-game approvals
• Uses a contracting entity unrelated to the licensed entities
• Offers to publish under another game’s ISBN
• Describes an ISBN as transferable or rentable
• Requests ownership of the global IP
• Requests the source code without adequate protections
• Demands perpetual exclusivity
• Provides no written content assessment
• Cannot explain its minor-protection system
• Cannot provide platform-level reporting
• Uses an undefined net-revenue calculation
• Allows unlimited marketing deductions
• Has no procedure for changing partners
• Treats the ISBN as the only requirement for launching in China

An ISBN is issued for a specific approved game and records named publishing and operating entities. Attempting to rent, share or reuse another game’s approval creates substantial regulatory and platform risk.

Which Type of Publishing Partner Should You Choose?

The right model depends on your resources, priorities and long-term China strategy.

Developer situation	Potentially suitable route
Foreign developer without a Chinese entity	Licensed Chinese operator with established publisher relationships
Developer requiring only regulatory support	Fixed-fee ISBN and compliance service
Large studio with its own Chinese team	Direct publisher relationship combined with a qualified operator
Developer needing technical conversion and distribution	Full-service China publishing partner
Game requiring extensive local live operations	Commercial publisher with genre-specific operating experience
Small developer with a limited upfront budget	Revenue-share partner with carefully limited rights
Developer prioritising control of its IP and operations	Service-fee model with a narrowly defined licence

Publishers should be compared based on the complete value they provide, not only the ISBN application fee or headline revenue share.

How Can AppInChina Help You Choose and Work With a Game Publisher?

Foreign developers frequently need an operating partner before they can work with an authorised Chinese publishing unit.

AppInChina can act as the licensed Chinese operator and coordinate the wider publishing process while the developer retains control of its game.

Our services include:

• Initial game compliance assessment
• Publisher matching
• Commercial ICP Licence coverage
• Game Publishing ISBN application support
• Copyright and application documentation
• Chinese localisation
• Content-compliance review
• ICP and Mobile App Filings
• Real-name verification
• Anti-addiction integration
• Technical localisation
• Chinese cloud deployment
• App-store SDK integration
• Distribution across major Chinese app stores
• Ongoing compliance and operational support

Unlike a traditional commercial publisher that may require extensive IP rights or a large revenue share, this structure allows developers to select the services they need while maintaining greater control over their game.