The 9th "Hunan Game Developers Return Home" Event Was Held in Changsha

On January 24, the 9th "Hunan Gaming Elite Homecoming" event, themed "Hunan Gaming Elite Return Home to Co-create Glory for Hunan," successfully concluded in Changsha. The event brought together more than 400 representatives from Hunan-based gaming companies, industry experts, and media professionals from across the country. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on key topics such as industrial innovation, talent retention, and project collaboration, showcasing the vibrant vitality of Hunan’s gaming industry and the strong cohesion of the "Hunan Gaming Elite."

Xiao Bin, Senior Researcher at the Publishing Division of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee Publicity Department; Li Xinqiao, Second-Level Researcher at the Industrial Development Division of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism; Liu Yulong, Member of the Executive Committee and Senior Researcher at the Changsha Municipal Party Committee Publicity Department; Liu Xionghui, Director of the Publicity Department of the Hunan Xiangjiang New Area, Member of the Standing Committee of the Yuelu District Party Committee, and Director of the Yuelu District Publicity Department;Jiang Xuelong, Deputy Director of the Publicity Work Department of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area and Third-Level Researcher; as well as Xu Qingjun, Member of the Party Committee, Vice President, and Director of the University-Enterprise Cooperation Management Committee of Changsha Normal University, and other representatives from universities and institutions attended the meeting.

The event is guided by the Hunan Animation and Gaming Association and the Hunan Xiangjiang New Area Animation and Gaming Industry Association; it is jointly organized by Caohua Interactive, Shenqi Group, Zhise Network, and Youpin Technology; co-organized by Tuyou Games, Gravity Engine, Huawei Cloud, Mango Interactive Entertainment, and Zhidu Group; and supported by NetEase (Changsha) Digital Industry Center and other organizations. The event features four core components: experience sharing, keynote speeches, industry networking, and corporate roadshows.

It is understood that there is a large number of game industry professionals from Hunan, and small, informal gatherings have long been held among Hunanese game talent working across the country, particularly in the Greater Bay Area.To expand these small circles into a larger community and provide Hunanese game professionals with a barrier-free platform for mutual assistance and resource sharing, the inaugural "Hunan Game Industry Gathering" was held in Guangzhou in 2015 and has been held annually through 2025. The event has attracted a large number of Hunanese game industry professionals, offering them opportunities to exchange experiences, share resources, and explore collaborations, thereby promoting internal communication and coordinated development within Hunan’s game industry.

During the event, expert speakers from frontline business operations, R&D, and operations focused on key areas such as the strategic positioning of mini-games, the development of high-quality games, and the integration of AI technology with the industry. Through case studies and lively discussions, they offered insights and recommendations for the high-quality development of Hunan’s gaming industry. The atmosphere at the event was open, pragmatic, and driven by a shared commitment to progress.

“So many of the technical leaders at major game companies are actually from Hunan!”Mr. Huang, a seasoned game industry professional from Hunan living in Guangzhou, was deeply moved by the warm atmosphere at the event. He said with emotion, “Hunan is a vital ‘reservoir’ of game talent. Many professionals working in the gaming industry in the Greater Bay Area hail from Hunan. Today’s event has brought us together and helped us build strong connections. I hope that more Hunan-born game professionals will use this event as an opportunity to spark even more ideas that will further boost the development of our hometown’s gaming industry.”

As the host of this event, the Hunan Xiangjiang New Area has become fertile ground for the development of the animation and gaming industry. Currently, the New Area is home to 200 large-scale cultural enterprises, nearly half of which are animation and gaming companies, forming a complete industrial chain ecosystem.Leading companies such as Caohua Interactive have established a strong presence here, creating phenomenon-level works like *Arcade Dinosaur* and *Wilderness Maze*, and driving the deep integration of digital content with the real economy. By 2025, three companies had been selected for the National Key Cultural Export Enterprises List, and 11 had made it into the province’s Top 50 Internet Companies.

Reporters learned at the event that the New District is accelerating the deep integration of the digital economy and the cultural industry. It is hoped that game developers from Hunan will remain true to their innovative spirit and work together to build digital cultural brands with Hunan characteristics, thereby continuing to expand the influence of the “Hunan Game Army.”

This event not only strengthened the emotional bonds and sense of identity among the "Hunan Gaming Army," but also built a bridge for talent return and project implementation, fostering a positive environment characterized by a strong sense of belonging and cohesion for the clustered development of Hunan’s gaming industry.Moving forward, Hunan Xiangjiang New Area will adopt a more open approach and provide higher-quality services to attract more talented Hunan natives to return home and start businesses. This will help the “Hunan Gaming Army” write a new chapter in the industry and collectively enhance the reputation of Hunan’s digital cultural sector.