bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Ann Cao

Chinese gaming company XD is eyeing the United States as it accelerates its global expansion amid increasing competition and harsh regulations at home, a company executive said.
The plan to reach US players is a key part of the Shanghai-based company’s strategy to turn a profit as early as next year, said senior vice-president Zhang Xiang in an interview with the South China Morning Post. The US market, where players have a “better understanding of games”, will serve as a testing ground for the overseas expansion, Zhang said.
The idea of venturing abroad, notably the US, has become popular among Chinese game developers as the home market is becoming increasingly hard to navigate amid strict licensing, ruthless censorship of gaming content and fierce competition. NetEase, China’s No 2 gaming company, said over the weekend that the launch of a highly anticipated title, Diablo Immortal, in China was postponed indefinitely, while ByteDance, an XD investor, has dismissed a major game studio in Shanghai.
For game studios like XD, it is getting harder to get a greenlight from Beijing to launch new titles at home. After an eight-month suspension, China resumed issuing gaming licences in April, allocating only 45 permits – one of which was granted to XD’s fighting game Flash Party.

Hong Kong-listed XD, operator of the TapTap games store, has been pushing into Southeast Asia and India, as the distributor of Tencent’s PUBG Mobile and its self-developed fighting game Sausage Man. Its overseas version of TapTap had 12.2 million monthly average users at the end of 2021, up 154.3 per cent year on year.
Zhang said it was already becoming second nature for Chinese gaming companies to expand overseas amid a boom in mobile games, with Beijing’s hardening attitude accelerating the pace. China’s move to slow down the issuing of gaming licences, for instance, is hurting small studios badly, leaving many with no choice but to look to overseas markets, he added.
In addition, China last year implemented stringent restrictions on playing time for young gamers in the country, allowing those under 18 to play games only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for an hour on each of these three days. This has contributed to a slowdown in the domestic video gaming industry, with gross revenue growth decelerating to 6.4 per cent in 2021, the slowest in three years.
Zhang, who joined XD in 2009 and is now responsible for the company’s marketing and business development, said the US market is a must-go place.
“There is an interesting phenomenon that if a cultural and entertainment product, whether it is a movie, TV series or a game, is successful in North America, its performance in other markets will not be too bad,” said Zhang. “So if we want to be successful on a global scale, North America is a market that we should invest in as early as possible.”

This year, XD expects at least four of its 13 upcoming projects – platform fighting game Flash Party, shooting game T3 Arena, action role-playing game Torchlight: Infinite and strategy role-playing game Sword of Convallaria – to be officially launched on TapTap for global players. While three of these games are still awaiting approval from Beijing, the US and Japan are the primary market to test the games, Zhang said.
The company has formed a team dedicated to the US market, consisting of dozens of employees based in Shanghai. They have been working on adding more US-specific tweaks to TapTap’s US version and testing XD’s ongoing projects in the market.


Meanwhile, XD is closely watching legislative developments concerning the tech industry in the US, including the progress of the Open App Markets Act in Congress, one of the latest attempts to limit big tech companies’ power in distributing apps. In 2019, it joined the Coalition for App Fairness, a group which includes video game studio Epic Games and streaming giant Spotify, aimed at reaching a fairer deal for the inclusion of their apps in Google’s and Apple’s app stores.
In 2021, XD saw its revenues decrease 5.1 per cent to 2.7 billion yuan (US$404.2 million), while losses widened from 9 million yuan to nearly 900 million yuan. Zhang said XD was aiming to turn a profit in 2023 on the back of its self-developed games, most of which will become exclusive on TapTap, which it hopes will play a key part in attracting new users.
“If a game becomes a hit, whether it is in North America, Japan or Thailand, the income generated in that particular market can be high enough [for the company],” said Zhang. “Making games is very much like making movies – sales numbers and word of mouth will speak for themselves.”


Chinese game studio XD makes US a priority in its overseas expansion drive as home market becomes increasingly difficult to navigate

Shooting game T3 Arena, one of the four games that XD plans to launch globally this year. The Shanghai-based company plans to make the US and Japan the primary markets to test the games. Photo: Handout

XD’s fighting game Flash Party, which was among the 45 licences issued by the regulator in April, was launched in China 12 days after the announcement. Photo: Handout

The global version of TapTap, XD’s games store, had 12.2 million monthly average users at the end of 2021, an increase of 154.3 per cent from a year earlier. Photo: Handout

Tech

Big Tech

Game studios like XD are looking to expand overseas to offset the slowdown at home as Beijing slows down the allocation of domestic licences
XD has formed a dedicated team for the US market, which is working on adding US-specific tweaks to its TapTap games store and testing upcoming projects


Beijing’s slow issuance of gaming licences and fierce industry competition are hurting many studios’ growth prospects, pushing them to speed up their overseas expansion, says senior XD executive.


Video gaming

China technology

Mobile gaming

Chinese game studio XD makes US a priority in its overseas expansion drive as home market becomes increasingly difficult to navigate

Game studios like XD are looking to expand overseas to offset the slowdown at home as Beijing slows down the allocation of domestic licences XD has formed a dedicated team for the US market, which is working on adding US-specific tweaks to its TapTap games store and testing upcoming projects

Game studios like XD are looking to expand overseas to offset the slowdown at home as Beijing slows down the allocation of domestic licences

XD has formed a dedicated team for the US market, which is working on adding US-specific tweaks to its TapTap games store and testing upcoming projects