(Yicai Global) July 27 -- China issued a seventh batch of video game licenses this year just two days before the opening of ChinaJoy, the country’s largest international gaming and digital entertainment expo. Gaming giants NetEase and Tencent Holdings did not receive any.

The National Press and Publication Administration yesterday issued 88 licenses for domestic game titles from developers, including LT Games, Seasun, 4399 Network, iDreamSky, and XD Network.

A total of 637 licenses have been issued for 610 domestic games and 27 imported titles in the first seven months of the year.

XD’s newly-approved Sword of Convallaria: For This World of Peace, which is expected to come out this year, has already received 800,000 pre-orders on game platform TapTap, also thanks to the endorsement from renowned Japanese game producer Yasumi Matsuno.

ChinaJoy will be held in Shanghai from tomorrow to July 31. According to the organizers, the BtoC Interactive Entertainment Area will host more than 200 exhibits over 100,000 square meters, while the BtoB Comprehensive Business Showcase will host over 300 exhibits covering 20,000 sqm. The number of visitors is expected to exceed that in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Seasun and 4399 Network will showcase their newly-approved games at ChinaJoy.

Other developers such as Tencent, NetEase, Sanqi Interactive Entertainment, and Perfect World, as well as gaming-related companies Bilibili, Huya, and Sony, will also attend the event.

Editor: Futura Costaglione