How Strong Is Chinese Games' Presence in Russia?

Summary

A Chinese traveler recently discovered that Chinese games have a remarkable presence in Russia. While touring Moscow and St. Petersburg, he wore a co-branded t-shirt of Black Myth: Wukong and local game media YouYanShe, and was surprised by the high rate of stares from passersby. Even the owner of a Game Park retail store recognized the "Wu Kong" design and smiled. More strikingly, Genshin Impact enjoys enormous popularity in Russia, even surpassing miHoYo's newer titles, despite the fact that the Russia-inspired region "Snezhnaya" had not yet been implemented and only a teaser had been shown. In a merchandise shop just across from GUM on Red Square, Genshin Impact posters and figures served as the store's main attraction, showing how deeply the IP has penetrated local culture. This phenomenon reflects the growing cultural influence of Chinese games overseas, not just as games but as recognizable brands. For players, it demonstrates the increasing success of Chinese game exports, promising more culturally distinctive works in the global market. For the industry, it showcases significant progress by Chinese developers in localization, IP building, and overseas marketing, offering valuable insights for expanding into emerging markets like Russia. This trend also highlights a new chapter in China's digital cultural export, where games act as ambassadors of culture and creativity.