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Romance and court intrigue: how female-focused games find success in China despite sexist stereotypes
- The virtual boyfriend game Love and Producer was the first big hit for female-focused games in China
- Gaming companies like Tencent and NetEase are looking to niche areas to attract new players in China’s saturated gaming market
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When a young heroine, garbed in a Ming dynasty-era dress, enters a lavish courtyard, she finds herself face-to-face with her nemesis, the imperial concubine. A battle ensues, featuring magic spells with powdery pink petals, before the heroine emerges victorious. But then she encounters a handsome young lord with whom she is immediately enchanted.
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If this sounds like the kind of story you would be into, you’re not alone. This is an episode of Fate of the Empress, a game that’s become popular through its use of court intrigue, puzzle solving, magical battles and romance. It’s also one of an increasing number of Chinese video games designed specifically for female gamers.
In the country with more gamers than anywhere else in the world, games like these have been finding their way onto more and more smartphones as companies big and small try to target more female players. Tech giants Tencent, NetEase and Bilibili along with small, specialised studios are all working on games they hope will appeal to girls and women.
“Female-oriented games can be a gold mine that is waiting to be discovered due to the high potential of the target user groups,” said Zhang Chundi, a video games research analyst at Ampere Analysis.
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