Tianjin - When discussing Genshin Impact, an open-world game developed by China's game producer miHoYo, Lee Chung-hoon, a South Korean student, could not conceal his excitement.

"In the game, I am a traveler who travels through a fantasy world called 'Tiwat' to find my lost relatives and unlock the world's secrets," Lee explained. "It is my favourite game down to the beautiful graphics and captivating stories."

South Korea is an important overseas market for "Genshin Impact." According to data from Sensor Tower in September 2022, sales revenue in the South Korean market accounted for 11.3 percent of the game's overseas market, placing it among the top three markets for the game in terms of overseas revenue.

In recent years, Chinese online games have significantly expanded their international presence and demonstrated exceptional performance.

Chinese online games are no longer just business products, but also serve as bridges for cultural dissemination by incorporating Chinese elements as they expand overseas.

Genshin Impact seamlessly integrates tea and other Chinese cultural elements into its scenes. Call Me Boss, another business simulation game developed in China, incorporates elements borrowed from Beijing Opera.

The success of Chinese games in foreign markets is largely due to the efforts of Chinese game companies to localize their products. According to Li Yifei, founder and chairman of 37 Interactive Entertainment Network Technology Group, localization is crucial to the popularity of Chinese games overseas.

While emphasizing the significance of localization, Li cited an example, saying that instead of introducing Americans to the Three Kingdoms story of Guan Yu and Lv Bu, it would be more effective to incorporate ancient Greek mythology, which they are likely to be more familiar with.

"Once players are engaged, gradually introducing Chinese heroes through game updates can capitalize on the existing product loyalty, potentially sparking even greater interest among players," he added.

Some game companies have even moved their R&D teams to important overseas markets for better localization. Over the past two years, Lightspeed & Quantum Studios, Tianmei, and other well-known studios under Tencent have set up studios in the United States, Canada, and Britain to facilitate self-developed game localization.

In addition to efforts like these, the Chinese government has also provided a series of supportive policies for games going overseas to better disseminate excellent Chinese culture.

When asked what impressed him most about Genshin Impact, Lee said he loved the beautiful scenery of the "Lantern Rite" held annually to honor the deceased adeptus Skybracer.

The Lantern Rite Festival in the game realm was inspired by the fish-shaped lantern tradition in Huizhou, Anhui Province, China. It is celebrated as part of Chinese New Year festivities and has been a tradition for over 600 years.

"I plan to go to Huizhou during the Spring Festival next year to see these gorgeous fish-shaped lanterns with my own eyes," Lee said.