Tencent and Century Games Lead as Chinese Mobile Publishers Net $1.95 Billion in November
Thirty-three Chinese mobile game publishers generated a combined US$1.95 billion in global revenue in November 2025, capturing 35.8% of the total earnings among the world's top 100 mobile issuers. The data, released by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, highlights the sustained dominance of Chinese developers in the global digital entertainment sector, driven by aggressive expansion in shooter, strategy, and casual gaming categories.
Tencent retained its position as the top-grossing mobile publisher worldwide, bolstered significantly by the performance of its tactical shooter Delta Force. The title recorded a 12% month-on-month revenue increase to approximately US$80 million across mobile platforms, following a major seasonal update mid-month that pushed daily gross billings to a post-launch high.
The rankings also underscored the growing market share of publishers specializing in niche gameplay verticals. Century Games and Microfun secured the second and third spots on the revenue list, respectively, by capitalizing on the popularity of survival strategy and "merge" mechanics in Western markets. Their performance reflects a strategic shift among Chinese firms to diversify beyond domestic mass-market titles and establish dominant positions in specific genres internationally.
Overall, the aggregate revenue and market share figures demonstrate resilience in consumer spending on mobile entertainment despite broader economic headwinds. The 33 listed vendors maintained robust cash flows through a combination of live-service updates for legacy titles and the successful scaling of new hybrid-genre games in the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
Tencent Consolidates Leadership
Tencent’s leadership in November was underpinned by a dual strategy of maintaining legacy hits while scaling new franchises. Delta Force, following the launch of its "Asara" season on November 13, topped global bestseller charts for two consecutive days. With cumulative revenue now reaching US$450 million, the title has established itself as Tencent’s second-highest grossing mobile game, trailing only the flagship Honor of Kings. The game’s cross-platform capabilities have allowed it to lead the global mobile shooter category.
Domestically, Tencent also saw gains from Golden Spatula (the mobile adaptation of Teamfight Tactics). A promotional event featuring the "Ion Spark" idol group on November 20 drove daily gross revenue to its highest point of 2025. Consequently, the game’s monthly revenue climbed 38%, ranking it third on the Chinese App Store revenue chart.
Strategy and Innovation Drive Challengers
Century Games cemented its status as the top Chinese exporter and the second-largest issuer globally through a multi-product portfolio. Its flagship survival strategy game, Whiteout Survival, contributed 54% of the publisher's revenue, with total cumulative earnings surpassing US3.8billion. Simultaneously, its newer title Kingshot generated 363.8billion in total earnings. This "twin-engine" approach, supplemented by the 10% growth of its casual game Tasty Travels: Merge Game, has allowed Century Games to mitigate reliance on a single title.
Microfun moved into third place by dominating the "merge" game category. Its leading title, Gossip Harbor, saw revenue jump 211% compared to the same period last year. The publisher’s portfolio heavily targets the US, Japanese, and South Korean markets, with its 2025 release Flambé: Merge & Cook growing another 20% in November due to holiday marketing campaigns.
Emerging Players and Hybrid Models
The chart witnessed significant movement from mid-tier publishers leveraging hybrid gameplay models. Glacier Network saw its revenue surge 45%, propelling it back to the 26th spot. This growth was driven by X-Clash, a title blending casual mechanics with 4X strategy elements, which recorded a 200% month-on-month revenue spike.
New entrants also made their mark. BeHeFun Games entered the top 30 for the first time, driven by Top Tycoon: Coin Theme Empire. The game, which combines simulation, social looting, and chance mechanics similar to Coin Master, rose 30% in November, validating the effectiveness of casual gaming strategies in overseas markets. Meanwhile, Florere Game ranked 5th, supported by the steady growth of Last Z: Survival Shooter.
Domestic Market Spikes on Content Updates
In the Chinese iOS market, established titles saw substantial volatility driven by content updates. HoYoverse, the brand operating under MiHoYo, saw revenue for Honkai: Star Rail skyrocket 460% in November. The surge followed the Version 3.7 update, "The Tomorrow of Yesterday," which introduced new plotlines and characters, pushing the game to ranked 8th on the monthly revenue chart.
Similarly, Arknights recorded a 281% revenue increase, returning to the number 12 spot. The tactical RPG’s 6.5-year anniversary event on November 1 generated daily gross revenues reaching a five-year peak, affirming the long-term monetization potential of high-quality anime-style content.