©INVEN ChinaJoy 2026, China's largest game show, is being held from today (the 31st) through August 3 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. While ChinaJoy once rose to prominence as a global gaming event, it had recently slowed down amid the emergence of various large-scale offline events. However, it has been gradually transforming since last year. The show has notably opened its doors, not only by providing space for domestic indie developers and small-to-medium enterprises but also by allowing international developers to participate in the B2C indie booths.
Perhaps due to this shift, participation from Korean games has been active. On the eve of ChinaJoy, NC announced a partnership with Shengqu Games, showcasing Aion Mobile and Aion 2 to Chinese users on a grand scale, while various Korean indie games met with Chinese users in the indie exhibition halls alongside the Korea Pavilion.
Furthermore, the event has attempted to diversify its entertainment offerings by transforming part of the merchandise hall into a stage for fan-made content and various contests. True to its slogan, 'Level Up with AI,' the show also highlighted its evolution by introducing AI-powered real-time translation services for international buyers and showcasing various AI technologies.
Moving beyond mere scale, ChinaJoy 2026 is aiming to leap back into the global spotlight through diversification and openness. Here is a look at the scene in photos.
The sun is so intense early in the morning that the backlight is unavoidable in Shanghai. ©INVEN ChinaJoy is back again this year, and visitors are already starting to gather early. ©INVEN The PlayStation booth is the first thing you see upon entering. ©INVEN Chinese console games aiming to follow in the footsteps of Black Myth: Wukong are on display. ©INVEN Even two years later, Black Myth: Wukong is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Chinese console games. It's here again this year! ©INVEN Crimson Desert, which had its own booth at ChinaJoy last year, is participating through TCL this year. ©INVEN It showed off its signature open world to visitors on a wide screen. ©INVEN Aion 2, which is targeting the Chinese market through Shengqu Games. ©INVEN Through on-site demos, it showcased a glimpse of evolved combat and exploration to Chinese users. ©NC Heading further inside, is that Aion Mobile? ©INVEN Unfortunately, it was just an event, but the cosplayers made it worth it. ©INVEN KURO GAMES isn't here, but 'Pebichovy' made an appearance at the HarmonyOS booth. ©INVEN The cosplayer's passionate performance, which perfectly captured the character's unique cuteness, was the icing on the cake. ©INVEN NetEase & Blizzard are ramping up the hype ahead of BlizzCon—I didn't expect the queue to be this long in the morning! ©INVEN Tyrael welcoming us at the end of the stage—simply glorious. ©INVEN "Frostmourne hungers" is a classic by now. ©INVEN The Goose Goose Duck main stage shows off the scale of the mainland. ©INVEN The charm of ChinaJoy is that something random can pop up out of nowhere. ©INVEN Moving past the game halls to the merchandise hall... ©INVEN Stage events are a staple here too—or rather, they're even more intense. ©INVEN A unique experience playing Black Flag on an Atom-themed PC! ©INVEN BlackShark has had some rough news lately, but for today, let's forget it and snap a photo. ©INVEN Ducky, which needs no introduction, has become an essential fixture at ChinaJoy. ©INVEN Every time I see them... ©INVEN Keyboards have a magical pull that makes me want to buy them no matter how many I see. Ugh... I must resist. ©INVEN Chamber also made a quick, secret visit to enjoy the scene. ©INVEN Moving past the temptation of mice that are as colorful as ornaments... ©INVEN ...and the temptation of high-end custom PCs. Ugh... I was too scared to ask how much they cost. ©INVEN The bizarre crossover of worlds at the AI robot booth is exactly what makes ChinaJoy charming. ©INVEN And you can't miss the robot dance that turned the venue upside down. Grrr. ©INVEN Meanwhile, the former team members are resting and recharging their batteries. ©INVEN HoYoverse isn't here, but ChinaJoy is the kind of place where Robin might show up anyway. ©INVEN It's an era where even hardware booths need characters to survive. ©INVEN How far will the challenge to create human-like robots go? Yikes. ©INVEN Hmm, this reminds me of those vicious 'Bean' series from Girls' Frontline. ©INVEN Turns out it was a company specializing in mice and keyboards. ©INVEN I can't believe even broadcast audio equipment companies are here. Yikes. ©INVEN Taobao's oasis tucked away in a corner of this vast ChinaJoy venue. ©INVEN After passing through N1 and six other exhibition halls, you're bound to need a rest on a sofa. ©INVEN I never expected the Gyeonggi Content Agency to get a booth in the B2C area. ©INVEN That surprise was short-lived, as I was immediately captivated by the incredibly realistic Kenway. ©INVEN I didn't expect them to have a zone where you can assemble things yourself. ©INVEN Uh... I shouldn't be laughing, but why am I laughing? Sigh, my stocks... ©INVEN A hidden ChinaJoy tip: Camera booths are great for taking photos of cosplayers. ©INVEN I know China has a strong market for female-oriented games, but I didn't expect this level of 'assault' (?) from AI dating apps. Yikes. ©INVEN The very last exhibition hall is in the middle of a cosplay competition. ©INVEN It went beyond simple cosplay—they were actually performing a Warhammer stage show! Yikes. ©INVEN If Warhammer Fantasy is here, 40K can't be left out. ©INVEN On the way back to the exit, the Snapdragon hall has opened an XR amusement park. ©INVEN Pom-Pom and 'Blizzard-dad' appeared at the Honkai: Star Rail demo area! ©INVEN It wasn't just the Gyeonggi Content Agency at B2C; the Korea Creative Content Agency's Korea Pavilion is here too. ©INVEN AButton's Guns and Dragons is currently in testing—if you didn't get a spot, why not try it here? ©INVEN Taking a short break with Nanalis Studio's healing game, Forest Island. ©INVEN Endeavor Games' Fatal Claw also visited the ChinaJoy venue ahead of its official release. ©INVEN Nanu Games' Tower of Babel: Survivor of Chaos has that addictive quality that keeps you playing. ©INVEN The cleaners are literally going in to purge the backrooms. ©INVEN Akseon' showcased a unique charm by combining our traditional shamanistic beliefs with hack-and-slash gameplay. ©INVEN KALPA, a title by Quesera Games that has been consistently loved by rhythm game fans since its 2021 release, was also there to meet local fans. ©INVEN MONOWAVE, which simply captures the charm of platformers and puzzles, participated to get feedback for its release this year. ©INVEN Behind that is the ChinaJoy Next Stage, where local Chinese indie games are located. ©INVEN With the ChinaJoy Express Zone for global indies in N1, the doors of ChinaJoy are opening wider and wider. ©INVEN
This article was originally written in Korean and translated with the help of NC AI. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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