A miHoYo display at the 2019 Japan Expo. Credit: Jeux Online
Tencent has long dominated video games in China, and now leads the global gaming industry in terms of revenues. Any challenger hoping to knock it off its number one spot would need unprecedented growth, an incredibly dedicated fanbase, and a heap of perseverance.
Chinese video game developer miHoYo might just have all three.
Founded in 2011 by a trio of graduates from Shanghai Jiaotong University, miHoYo has spent the last decade creating its ‘HoYoverse’ brand of games that appeal to the so-called “otaku” population — people who are obsessed with Japanese anime, manga, video games and culture.
Data: Statista
In September 2020, miHoYo released its biggest game to date: Genshin Impact, which took the mobile gaming industry by storm, becoming the fastest app to surpass $1 billion in revenue. But despite its success, miHoYo has drawn controversy, from Chinese content regulators to gamers themselves.
This week, The Wire looks at miHoYo: its history, how it has
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