Huqiao China Hall at DevGAMM Lisbon 2026

Huqiao Games Brings China Hall to DevGAMM Lisbon 2026

What does it take to bring a game to China? How do you reach players in a market that works differently from your own? And what can developers learn from the people who've faced these challenges firsthand?

Full Programme & Speakers - Huqiao China Hall

On November 17–18, Huqiao Games is hosting Huqiao China Hall at DevGAMM Lisbon 2026, bringing together game developers, publishers, and industry experts for two days of talks, discussions, and interactive sessions.

From understanding China's gaming market to building international audiences, making smarter publishing decisions, and generating revenue beyond launch, we're bringing some of the industry's most interesting conversations to Lisbon.

And we want you to be part of them.

Why China Hall?

With more than 720 million players and a projected $58.1 billion in games revenue in 2026 — around 27% of the global market — China is one of the world's biggest gaming markets. But reaching Chinese players takes more than simply bringing a game to a new platform.

How do Chinese players discover games? What makes marketing work in China? And what should developers change when entering a new market — and what should they keep?

At Huqiao China Hall, we'll explore these questions through real experiences and practical insights, covering market entry, self-publishing, localisation, community building, and long-tail revenue.

‍Here's what you can look forward to.

Publishing, Revenue, and Going Global

A successful launch is only part of the journey. At China Hall, we'll explore what comes next, from self-publishing decisions to keeping games commercially successful long after release.

How to Maximize Long-Tail Revenue After Launch

Tuesday, November 17 | 12:00–13:00

A game's launch is only the beginning of its revenue lifecycle. But how do you turn that opportunity into sustained growth?

This panel explores how studios can keep generating value long after release by entering new markets, sustaining audience growth, and creating additional revenue streams around existing IP.

• John Kavvouras, Managing Director at Huqiao Games, will share his long-tail revenue growth model. With over 20 years of business leadership experience, John brings expertise in finance and emerging market development.
• Jennifer Corbett, Chief Marketing Officer at Midwest Games, will bring a marketing perspective on sustaining interest, visibility, and momentum beyond launch. Having previously held senior marketing roles at Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery, Jennifer has extensive experience building audiences and communities across entertainment and games.
• Tiago Correia, Founder of Save Point, will explore an often-overlooked opportunity: turning video game music into a revenue-generating asset beyond the game itself. A Venture Partner at Griffin Gaming Partners and Advisory Board Member at Acclaim, Tiago brings more than 16 years of experience in media, entertainment, and technology.

The panel will be moderated by Lewis Packwood, Features Editor at GamesIndustry.biz, who has spent more than a decade writing about games for publications including The Guardian, Edge, Eurogamer, and PC Gamer.

Together, they'll explore practical ways studios and publishers can generate more value from titles they've already launched.

What Would You Change Before Launching in a New Market?

Sometimes entering a new market means rewriting dialogue. Sometimes it means replacing skeletons with gravestones. But what do you change when bringing your game to a new market — and what do you keep?

What We Changed Before Launching in a New Market

Wednesday, November 18 | 15:30–16:30

How do you respond to different player expectations while protecting your creative vision and keeping production on track?

This session brings developers together for an informal, moderated conversation about the decisions behind reaching new audiences. From localisation and cultural context to design choices, player feedback, and launch planning, we'll explore what worked, what surprised us, and what we'd do differently.

Joining the conversation are four developers bringing different experiences from across the games industry:

• Alexandre Amancio, Head of Studio at Studio Ellipsis, brings experience across AAA development and original IP. A former Creative Director at Ubisoft who worked on Assassin's Creed, he later founded Reflector Entertainment and helped create the Unknown 9 universe. He now leads Studio Ellipsis, including work on its upcoming multiplayer horror game Nightholme.
• Tomas Sala, independent game developer and creator of The Falconeer, has built a career around developing original games and growing their communities over time. His work includes Bulwark and ShipShaper, with an approach focused on long-term player loyalty rather than chasing a single viral success.
• Itai Edry, Studio Director at Miniclip, leads M360, overseeing the development and growth of multiple studios and games. With more than a decade of experience in mobile gaming, his work includes titles such as Ultimate Golf, Mini Football, and Baseball Clash.
• Gonçalo Monteiro, Founder of Massive Galaxy Studios, brings the perspective of an independent developer based in Lisbon. His studio has released For The Warp, LakeSide, and ARC SEED across PC and consoles.

The panel will be co-moderated by Alexandre Amancio and Gonçalo Monteiro.

And this is a conversation you can be part of.

Everyone is encouraged to contribute. Bring a challenge or a question for your peers, share your experiences, and exchange practical strategies with developers facing similar challenges — ideas you can take back to your team.

Understanding China: From Market Entry to Player Attention

Let's start with a question many Western studios face: how do you get Chinese players interested in your game?

How Western Games Win Attention in China: From Indie Budgets to AAA Campaigns

Tuesday, November 17 | 11:15–12:00

You don't necessarily need an AAA marketing budget to start building an audience in China. But you do need to understand where players discover games and what catches their attention.

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In this case-study-driven session, Aleksander Ptak, Key Account Manager at Huqiao Games, will take a closer look at how Western games approach Chinese audiences with different budgets and marketing strategies.

From indie projects to AAA titles like Cyberpunk and World of Warcraft, Aleksander will explore Steam page tweaks, in-game adaptations, and the Chinese media landscape, sharing practical lessons studios can apply to their own launches, whatever their budget.

Having worked with more than 150 games over the past four years, including projects such as Factorio and V Rising, Aleksander brings experience in organic community building and direct influencer collaborations on platforms including Bilibili, Douyin, and RedNote.

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You Are The Overseas Market Now

Wednesday, November 18 | 11:30–12:30

We often talk about Western studios looking towards China. But what happens when we look at that relationship from the other direction?

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In "You Are The Overseas Market Now," Wojciech Jaworski (严立行), Founder of YLX and Co-Founder of Huqiao Games, will explore how Chinese companies are increasingly looking to Europe and North America for games, IP, and partnerships.

With more than 15 years of experience in China's market, Wojciech has worked with studios including Owlcat, Atari, PlayWay, tinyBuild, Toplitz, and Awaken Realms on influencer campaigns and market-entry strategies. Through YLX, he also helps developers explore how Chinese cultural elements can create new content and long-tail revenue opportunities for existing games.

Using real market data, a live China Radar demonstration, and examples of games adapted for Chinese audiences, Wojciech will examine the biggest opportunities, where partnerships tend to fail, and how Western studios can better evaluate their position in China.

Importance of Doubting Yourself and Asking Stupid Questions

Tuesday, November 17 | 14:30–15:30

Every day in game development, we make decisions, implement requested solutions, and solve problems. But are they the right ones?

In "Importance of Doubting Yourself and Asking Stupid Questions," Michał Ostapowicz, Senior Producer at CD PROJEKT RED, will explore how doubting your own assumptions and asking seemingly obvious questions can help uncover the real work behind feature requests, challenge outdated decisions, and avoid solving the wrong problems.

With 10 years of experience in game production, Michał has worked on projects including Outriders, Outriders: Worldslayer, Backfirewall, and The Witcher 4. Drawing on real production stories from AAA development, he'll share practical ways to improve decision-making, communication, and leadership across multidisciplinary teams.

Come Curious: Let's Challenge What You Know About China

Not every conversation at China Hall will happen through a traditional presentation.

We're also preparing two interactive activities where you can test your knowledge, ask questions, and get involved.

PLAY: China — You're Probably Wrong! The China Reality Check

Tuesday, November 17 | 14:00–14:30

Think you know China's games market? Let's put that to the test.

Can your game succeed in China without an official local release? Can you reach Chinese players through Google Ads? Can Chinese gamers access global Steam?

But how much of what you've heard is actually true?

Join Blanka Pogrányi and Wenting Zhang for a fast-paced, interactive True/False quiz that tests your knowledge and challenges common misconceptions about China's gaming industry.

Vote anonymously from your phone — no speaking, no spotlight, just your best guesses!

Discover the answers and explore the realities behind Chinese player behaviour, gaming platforms, marketing, localisation, and publishing.

Come curious. You might leave questioning what you thought you knew.

Understanding China’s Games Market

‍China's Games Market: Opening the Black Box

‍Tuesday, November 17 | 11:00–11:30

Before planning a launch in China, it helps to understand what makes the market different in the first place.

For Western studios and publishers, the Digital Silk Road starts with questions that sales reports alone cannot answer.

In "China's Games Market: Opening the Black Box," Blanka Pogrányi, Marketing Director at Huqiao Games, will explore China's gaming landscape, connecting industry figures with practical questions: What makes China different? Which parts of a game will travel well across borders, and which deserve a rethink?

The session brings together insights from Chinese and Western gaming markets, offering a starting point for developers considering their next international launch.

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How to Win Players on Chinese Social Media?

‍Wednesday, November 18 | 10:00–10:30

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Reaching Chinese players also means understanding where they discover games, share opinions, and connect with developers.

In "How to Win Players on Chinese Social Media?" Wenting Zhang, Social Media Specialist at Huqiao Games, will introduce platforms such as Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin, exploring how they shape game discovery and player engagement.

From understanding local communities to adapting content for different platforms, Wenting will share what international studios should consider when building a social media strategy to reach Chinese audiences.

Because reaching players in China takes more than translating your content.

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The China Question Wall — Bring Your Questions to China Hall

Wednesday, November 18 | 16:30–17:00

One market. A thousand questions. What's yours?

Is China the right market for your game? What should you localise? How do you reach Chinese players? And what should you figure out before investing?

We're collecting questions ahead of and throughout the event on the online China Question Wall, from the practical to the unexpected.

Submit your question ahead of the event. Selected questions will be discussed live without publishing your name or contact details.

We'll wrap up China Hall with Blanka Pogrányi and Wenting Zhang picking some of the most interesting questions and unpacking them live, sharing insights, challenging assumptions, and exploring what Western studios should consider when approaching the Chinese games market.

No question is too basic, too complicated, or too unexpected.

Leave your question on the wall. It might be the one everyone else wanted to ask.

Submit Your Question

More Stories from Game Development, Marketing, and Publishing

China Hall isn't only about entering China. We're also bringing together speakers who have faced the everyday challenges of making, marketing, and publishing games.

From questioning production decisions to growing player communities and figuring out what to do after a difficult launch, there's plenty to learn from the experiences behind different projects.

Navigating the Modern Self-Publishing Landscape

Self-publishing gives developers more control over their games, but it also comes with challenges that go far beyond releasing a title on Steam.

In "Navigating the Modern Self-Publishing Landscape," Julien Wera, COO & Head of Publishing at Shiro Games, will explore what studios should consider when deciding whether to self-publish, which practices can make a real difference, and where to find support for areas outside their expertise.

Taming a Monster with Demon Spore

How do you create a game that stands out when you're working with a tiny team?

In "Taming a Monster with Demon Spore," Edward Kay, Director at DinoBoss Ltd, will take us behind the development of the action-horror roguelite Demon Spore and the decisions involved in helping it reach a wider audience.

From developing an appealing concept and refining the game's direction through market feedback to creating trailers, localisation, negotiating publishing deals, and considering the Chinese market, Edward will share a story of persistence and the challenges of bringing a distinctive indie game to players.

More Talks Worth Exploring

• Martin Rabl, Head of Marketing & PR at GIANTS Software, will explore how Farming Simulator grew from a niche title into a global franchise in "From Niche to Global: Cultivating Loyal Player Communities," looking at the marketing, creator, and community strategies behind its long-term success.
• What happens when a game launches and nobody notices? Oliver Kern, Partner at Firehorse Publishing, will answer that question through a real post-launch case study, exploring how changes to a game's Steam page, screenshots, positioning, tags, and sales calendar can help it find an audience.
• Matej Hudak, Publishing Director at Grindstone, will share the publishing and marketing lessons behind Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel, including its reported 180,000 wishlists and 50% conversion in the first seven days, covering what worked, what didn't, and what he'd do differently.
• Vladlena Zakharchuk, Sub-Lead Localization Manager at Owlcat Games, will examine why localisation shouldn't be treated as an afterthought, drawing on real cross-departmental workflows and production challenges.
• Tristan Jacobs, Senior Gameplay Designer at Glowmade, will explore the challenges of designing games around established and original IP, sharing lessons from Hellboy and King of Meat.
• Anastasia Zaiceva, CGTMO at CAS.AI, will discuss how AI-generated content is changing the competition for player attention in "AI Made Content Cheap. Attention Got Expensive."
• And Martin Wein, Founding Partner at GameFlex Consultants, will examine how research and player insights can help developers align their creative vision with market opportunities in "Product & Market Fit – How Insights & Vision Drive Commercial Success."

See You at Huqiao China Hall in Lisbon!

Whether you're planning your first China launch, trying to reach new players, or exploring new opportunities for your game, we'd love to meet you at Huqiao China Hall, DevGAMM Lisbon, November 17–18, 2026.

Join a talk, take part in a discussion, test your knowledge, or simply bring a question you've been meaning to ask.

And if you'd like to discuss your own game and its opportunities in China, our team will be there throughout the event.

Book a Meeting with Huqiao Games

Or try our Free China Market Test.

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