On December 15th, the 2023 China Game Industry Annual Conference was held in Guangzhou, China. Wang Yi, Senior Vice President of NetEase, attended the conference and delivered a keynote speech titled "Three New Development Logic of China's Game Industry in the Next Twenty Years", sharing NetEase's exploration and achievements in developing positive potential for games, undertaking social missions and responsibilities.
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the annual conference, Wang Yi stated that from the popularity of overseas games in China 20 years ago to the current popularity of Chinese games overseas, Chinese games have used innovation and craftsmanship to transform the Chinese gaming industry from a "world contract factory" to a "Chinese dream factory" and have won the global market. He believes that in the next 20 years, Chinese gaming should continue to explore the positive potential of gaming, allowing the gaming industry to surpass entertainment attributes and take on more social responsibilities, in order to win more respect worldwide.
In her speech, Wang Yi combined the achievements and experience of NetEase Games to compare the opportunities for the future development of Chinese games to "three competitions". From the perspective of new technology application, product innovation, and new social mission, she elaborated on the key factors for playing these "three competitions" well.
Currently, the technology wave led by AI has penetrated into all aspects of the gaming industry. Wang Yi believes that this is a new opportunity brought by AI to Chinese games. For new technologies, Chinese games should dare to "shine the sword", be good at "using the sword", and win the technology competition in the global gaming industry.
It is understood that NetEase invests billions of dollars in research and development expenses every year. Currently, the industrialization process of NetEase's games has fully realized intelligence, and breakthroughs have been made in key technologies such as self-developed large models. This year, NetEase has also implemented AI gameplay on a large scale for the first time in the mobile game "Against Water and Cold", with over 30 AI technologies all developed by NetEase itself.
In terms of gaming products, Wang Yi pointed out that for new products, we should take the lead in innovation, strive to be the "first", stimulate collective wisdom, and run the marathon of sustainable development in the industry.
"Whether a product has innovation power or is it unique, players will know as soon as they play." He admitted that the development of the Chinese gaming market from zero to a billion dollar scale, to a hundred flowers blooming, relies on generations of innovators to innovate, and the future will inevitably rely on innovation to unlock new achievements.
For example, the game "Egg Party" uses NetEase's self-developed engine to "stage" and a new mode of integrating AI and UGC called "singing opera", allowing players to overcome the addiction of game developers. Nowadays, there are millions of works uploaded by players and over ten million creators in the game every week.
New technologies and products have enabled the Chinese gaming industry to enter a fast lane. Nowadays, games have become a platform connecting billions of players and should also convey care to a wider audience. This is a new requirement put forward by society for the gaming industry, and a new opportunity for the industry to promote social progress and unleash greater value.
In this regard, Wang Yi stated that we must adhere to the bottom line and meet the needs of the new mission entrusted by society, and run a relay race that conveys humanistic care well.
He said that China's gaming industry has become an important component of the digital economy, and the huge consumer landscape and industry potential are achievements, but also imply responsibility. The boundary between virtual and reality can be broken by technology, but the gaming industry cannot exist without reality. Games need to take public interest as the greatest common divisor, inspiring the entire industry to release more social value.
Just last month, NetEase Games disclosed for the first time that it invests over 100 million yuan annually in the protection of minors. "This is not only our determination, but also to reassure the whole society." He pointed out that the protection of minors has always been the core assessment indicator of NetEase Games. The protection of minors is the bottom line that games must protect, and the constantly overflowing social value of games raises the upper limit of games.
Finally, Wang Yi stated that today, Chinese games have the potential and posture to establish themselves in the world at the age of weak champions. Facing the next twenty years, NetEase Games hopes to work with the industry to open up more imagination for industrial progress, inject more vitality into innovation, bring more warmth to the real world, unleash the energy of changing the world, and win more respect.