Perfect World CEO Gu Liming: Despite Humble Beginnings, China's Gaming Industry is the Most Globally Competitive

At the HBR Management Annual Conference 2025 and New Growth Summit held on October 31, Gu Liming, CEO of Perfect World Co.,Ltd., stated that although China's gaming industry has "humble beginnings and lacks favor"—receiving no special government support while facing challenges such as financing difficulties and public scrutiny—it remains "resilient and unbreakable, thriving against all odds."

He proudly emphasized, "Among Chinese enterprises, gaming companies are the most globally competitive."

Gu highlighted how the industry has expanded beyond entertainment into cultural consumption, citing examples like the global popularity of the LABUBU IP and offline concerts and esports events driving cross-sector growth. These developments position gaming as a globally competitive "grassroots force."

Amid trade barriers and geopolitical tensions, Gu noted that cultural exports—such as games, music, and sports—hold unique advantages. Perfect World Co.,Ltd. leverages gaming IP and live-streamed tournaments to promote Chinese culture worldwide. For instance, the company designed the "Monkey King" hero in DOTA, which, free from IP restrictions, achieved 70 million global downloads on its launch day—far surpassing traditional cultural outreach methods.

Additionally, the company integrates Chinese elements like opera masks, Zhuang folk songs, and traditional IPs into game content. "While showcasing global competitiveness, we also shoulder the social responsibility of Chinese gaming firms to tell China's stories well," Gu said.

Despite lingering public misconceptions about the industry, he concluded, "Staying true to our path matters most—walking alone speeds progress, but walking together goes farther."