Huawei steals spotlight at ChinaJoy expo as HarmonyOS Next promotion entices gamers

At ChinaJoy, Huawei unveiled more than 40 video games that can run on the next version of its mobile operating system

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A cosplayer poses for photos at the booth of Huawei Technologies’ HarmonyOS Next mobile platform at the opening of the annual ChinaJoy expo in Shanghai on July 26, 2024. Photo: AFP

Ann Caoin Shanghai

Published: 6:00pm, 30 Jul 2024

Huawei Technologies stole the spotlight at this year’s edition of ChinaJoy, the country’s biggest annual digital entertainment expo in Shanghai, as the telecommunications equipment giant unveiled more than 40 video games that can run on HarmonyOS Next, the latest iteration of its mobile operating system.

HarmonyOS Next, which will end support for Android apps, will be officially launched for commercial use on Huawei’s upcoming flagship 5G smartphone series, the Mate 70, in the fourth quarter this year.

The titles showcased by Huawei at ChinaJoy, which was held from July 26 to 29, include: Crystal of Atlan from ByteDance; Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile from NetEase; Reverse: 1999 from Guangzhou-based Bluepoch; and Sky: Children of the Light by US studio Thatgamecompany.

Its HarmonyOS promotion marked Shenzhen-based Huawei’s first year with a central booth at the ChinaJoy exhibition floor inside the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

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Long queues formed at four separate sections exhibiting those featured titles at the HarmonyOS booth, as ChinaJoy attendees waited to take part in interactive activities, get free gifts and play video games on Huawei’s latest smartphones.

“It was exciting to see one of my favourite games Narake: Bladepoint Mobile and be able to run it on the new [mobile operating] system,” said Xu Xiaoyi, a 25-year-old Shanghai resident, who joined the queue for Huawei after initially setting out to see NetEase’s booth.