In this transformation, some companies have leveraged accumulated experience and strategic adjustments to carve a clear path from “riding the ship” to “building the ship.” Their progress in cross-cultural product design and global resource integration provides valuable lessons for the wider industry.
1. From Joint Development to Independent Globalization
In the early stages of going global, Chinese game developers largely depended on local partners for regional publishing. Today, more companies are gradually building independent publishing channels and joint R&D capabilities. By collaborating with top international studios on global IP products, Chinese developers not only gain insights into cross-cultural markets but also refine content design and operational methods aligned with global player preferences.For example, The Legend of the Staff and Sword, published by Leiting Games, adopted a global outlook from the earliest stages of development, embedding localization and cultural adaptation into the entire production process. Multiple rounds of testing across different regions allowed the team to identify barriers caused by cultural differences.
Based on these insights, the team made targeted adjustments to core gameplay mechanics, marketing strategies, and even visual design. For instance, the Japanese release emphasized collaborations with Vtubers and popular anime while promoting eye-catching benefits such as “4,096 free draws.” The Traditional Chinese version leaned on live-action promotional materials and situational drama ads, highlighting the relaxing vertical idle gameplay.
This kind of deep adaptation goes far beyond simple text translation or interface adjustments. It represents “cultural integration” at the level of gameplay mechanics and system design—evidence that Chinese developers are evolving localization into full-scale cross-cultural product design.
2. Balancing Cultural Expression with Global Aesthetics
A central challenge for cultural products going overseas is: how to preserve cultural uniqueness while lowering the barrier for international players?Take Honor of Kings: World by TiMi Studio as an example. The character “Dongfang Yao” was renamed “Novar” in overseas versions—retaining the meaning of “star” but adopting a more readable, futuristic name. Meanwhile, characters tied closely to specific cultural contexts retained their original Pinyin names to preserve their cultural roots.
Visually, the design team drew inspiration from the mythical bird “Bi Fang” in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, but infused it with mechanical elements and modern textures. The result is a design that maintains Eastern aesthetics while resonating with a global audience through sci-fi appeal and uniqueness.
Chinese developers are also placing greater emphasis on technical adaptation for global markets. For example, ensuring controller support in shooting games and optimizing experiences across PC and console platforms—seemingly minor details that critically shape the experience of core overseas players.
3. Building Systematic Capabilities for Sustainable Growth
China’s gaming industry is shifting from “single-hit breakthroughs” to “systematic globalization.” Behind this lies an integrated framework of R&D platforms, user insights, localization processes, and coordinated publishing. Market-facing actions such as participating in international expos, community engagement, and influencer partnerships are increasingly central to long-term brand building and trust.In essence, leading companies are moving away from “isolated experiments” and instead treating the global market as an organic whole, emphasizing end-to-end integration from design to operations. By combining content innovation, cultural transcreation, and technical adaptation, they are steadily establishing sustainable brand presence and user communities worldwide.
Conclusion
The globalization of Chinese games offers valuable insights for the broader digital content industry. The key lies in no longer treating international markets as a simple extension of domestic products, but instead achieving a breakthrough from “going out” to “going in” through system-level design, cultural translation, and global capabilities.In this process, game localization has evolved from a purely linguistic task into a multidisciplinary capability that integrates culture, design, and technology. Only by embedding globalization into the very DNA of their products—and replacing short-term opportunism with long-term vision—can Chinese game companies move from “having a presence” to “building lasting influence” on the global stage.
About Glodom
Shenzhen Glodom Technology Co., Ltd. is an innovative provider of language technology solutions, with deep expertise in game localization and long-term partnerships with leading global gaming companies. Glodom employs more than 300 in-house professionals and collaborates with a network of over 10,000 native linguists across 40+ countries, covering more than 200 languages.Combining advanced technology with extensive project management experience, Glodom helps companies achieve their globalization strategies with precision and efficiency. From translation accuracy to multilingual workflow scalability, Glodom remains at the forefront of the industry—empowering clients to succeed in a global marketplace.
