SHANGHAI, July 31 (Xinhua) -- China's gaming market saw its actual sales revenue reach a record high of 168 billion yuan (about $23.5 billion) in the first half of 2025, up 14.08 percent year on year, according to the ongoing China International Digital Entertainment Industry Conference (CDEC) Summit Forum in Shanghai.

During the period, the number of Chinese game users approached 679 million. The actual sales revenue of Chinese self-developed games in overseas markets exceeded $9.5 billion, up 11.07 percent year on year.

The major overseas markets for Chinese games are the United States, which accounts for 31.96 percent, followed by Japan and the Republic of Korea, according to an industry report released during the conference by China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association.

China is the world's largest gaming market, with domestic sales revenue surpassing 325 billion yuan in 2024.

"The Chinese gaming industry, with its profound cultural heritage and continuous technological innovation, is gaining high recognition on the world stage," said Ao Ran, executive vice president and secretary general of the association.