Newshot Sensor Tower: Tencent, DianDian Interactive and Microfun Remain Top Three Chinese Mobile Game Publishers by Global Revenue in October
IT Home, November 12: According to the Sensor Tower store intelligence platform, a total of 37 Chinese companies made the global top 100 mobile game publishers by revenue in October 2026, generating a combined $2 billion (IT Home note: about RMB 13.372 billion at current exchange rates), accounting for 39.7% of the revenue of the global top 100 mobile game publishers in the period.
This report counts publisher revenue only. The data includes combined estimates for the App Store and Google Play, excludes data from third-party Android app stores, and covers only iOS for the mainland China market. The estimates do not represent revenue confirmed in publishers' financial statements.
In October, Tencent, DianDian Interactive, Microfun and NetEase remained the top four Chinese mobile game publishers, while 37 Interactive Entertainment rose one place to enter the top five.
Major product updates drove significant growth. Kuro Games climbed to No. 8 on the strength of Wuthering Waves; the overseas version of Arknights under Yostar saw a substantial revenue increase, lifting the publisher 14 places. Meanwhile, multiple new titles from publishers such as DianDian Interactive and 37 Interactive Entertainment continued to grow, gradually becoming important revenue sources beyond their flagship products.
Tencent held the top spot among publishers on the strength of Honor of Kings and Delta Force. Honor of Kings generated $170 million in global iOS revenue in October (about RMB 1.137 billion at current exchange rates), keeping it at the top of the global iOS mobile game revenue chart.
Since the start of the year, DianDian Interactive's flagship titles Whiteout Survival, Kingshot and Tasty Travels: Merge Game have continued to lead the top four of the overseas mobile game revenue chart. In addition, revenue from new titles such as Lordrush, Hotel Legacy and Top Force continued to climb, together driving a steady 3% increase in DianDian Interactive's global revenue and keeping it in second place on the list.
37 Interactive Entertainment rose one place to No. 5 in October, entering the top five for the first time since 2025. Revenue from its Last Asylum and Z Route: Redemption increased month by month in the second half of the year, together contributing more than half of the publisher's revenue in October and becoming a key component. In October, 37 Interactive Entertainment's revenue rose 35% year on year.
Kuro Games' open-world RPG mobile game Wuthering Waves released version 3.7, "Mirror-Locked Illusory World, Heart Reflects the Mortal Realm," at the end of September and opened a limited-time Convene for the new character "Suoming" on October 22; that day the game topped Japan's iPhone RPG mobile game grossing chart. With the successive release of new content, Wuthering Waves revenue rose 57% month on month in October, driving a 52% increase in revenue for publisher Kuro Games and lifting it seven places to No. 8 on the list.
Moonton's revenue rose 10% in October, and the publisher climbed to No. 9 on the list. Revenue from its MOBA mobile game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang increased 30% month on month. Around its tenth-anniversary celebration, the game continued to roll out anniversary rewards in October and launched a limited-time event themed on the hero Layla on October 9, in which players could earn a collector skin by taking part in a mini-game. During the same period, the game also held offline celebrations in core markets including Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, sustaining the anniversary momentum through in-game rewards and local community events.
Efun's 4X strategy mobile game Wild Water World has seen continuous revenue growth since launching in the mainland China iOS market in January 2026 and subsequently expanding overseas, with global revenue hitting a new high in October, up 40% month on month. In the China market, the game rose to No. 4 on the iOS revenue chart for 4X strategy mobile games in October, becoming a revenue growth driver for Efun in China. In October, Efun's overall revenue rose 18% month on month.
Outside the list, the Chinese mobile game publishers that made the global top 100 by revenue are, in order: Bingchuan Network, Perfect World, Habby, BeHeFun Games, Tap4Fun, Jiangyu Interactive and Modo Global.
In October, the top five on the China App Store mobile game revenue chart were still occupied by Tencent games. National Day holidays, anniversaries and IP collaborations boosted the performance of some products, with Eggy Party rising five places to No. 10. Rate of Land and Supernatural Action Group saw significant revenue growth and returned to the list alongside Tencent Happy Dou Dizhu.
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