On December 25, the National Press and Publication Administration approved 105 new domestic game licenses, breaking the hundred mark for the first time. This follows the approval of a batch of imported online game licenses on December 22. The move is seen as a positive signal for the thriving Chinese online gaming industry.

With this batch, the total number of domestic online game licenses issued in 2023 has reached 977, a 108.76 percent increase from 2022. The domestic gaming market shows signs of recovery, with sales reaching 302.96 billion yuan (US$42.39 billion) in 2023, a 13.95 percent YoY increase, surpassing the 300 billion yuan mark for the first time. The user base reached a record high of 668 million people.