Revenue from mainland China’s domestic video game software and services is projected to decline 2.5% to $45.44 billion in 2022, the first drop in 20 years, according to a report by gaming consultancy Niko Partners released on Oct. 27. “China’s economy, Zero COVID policy, impact of youth gamers regulations, and a lack of new game ISBN licenses have contributed to the adverse changes in the domestic games market,” said Lisa Hanson, founder and president of Niko Partners. Revenue data from the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association and the Gaming Industry Research Institute of China (our translation) for the first half of 2022 showed a 0.1% year-on-year drop for the sector, the first fall since 2015. [Niko Partners]