NetEase rose more than 8% in pre-market trading in New York. An XD Inc representative told Bloomberg News that its “Flash Party” was among the games approved, but didn’t elaborate. Shenzhen developer iDreamSky Technology Holdings’s “Watch Out For Candles” also won a license, founder and CEO Michael Chen said.
China has approved the first batch of new video game licenses since July, people familiar with the matter said, ending a months-long hiatus that put the world’s largest mobile gaming arena on edge.
The National Press and Publication Administration has distributed to developers a list of approved titles, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing a private communique. That list will be uploaded to the agency’s website soon, they added. It wasn’t clear if the approved titles included any games from industry leaders Tencent Holdings and NetEase.
