A look at the mutual engagement between brands and Chinese game IPs

During China's traditional festivals, major companies in the gaming, animation and comic industries compete to launch festival-related products and activities. Animations often release short festival-themed clips, comic artists create festive greeting illustrations, and the gaming industry goes even further – teasers for festival events usually start rolling out half a month before the holiday begins. This is not just a common practice for domestic games, but also a trendsetter for global brands. As China's market weight grows, its culture and history have become a "must-learn course" for the world.

On September 23, McDonald's China officially launched the Mid-Autumn co-branded campaign with "Black Myth: Wukong" – a domestic AAA game title – offering consumers a unique festive experience. Consumers could savor limited-edition Mid-Autumn new products at over 7,100 McDonald's restaurants nationwide and enjoy exclusive co-branded packaging designed with game elements. Additionally, a series of limited-edition Mid-Autumn merchandise and pop-up stores in many cities were unveiled. As an established Western fast-food brand, McDonald's collaboration with "Black Myth: Wukong" was far more than just "slapping a logo on a packaging box." Beyond events, pop-up stores, and specialty foods, the collaboration also included a joint Mid-Autumn short film and an exclusive co-branded board game.

Why did these two brands choose the Mid-Autumn Festival for their collaboration? The core lies in the dual value of the festival's reunion essence – it not only has deep roots in Chinese culture but also resonates emotionally across different cultural backgrounds. As a traditional festival carrying millennia of agricultural civilization and family ethics, Mid-Autumn's reunion is never merely a concrete scene of family gathering; it has evolved into a shared emotional consensus among Chinese people around concepts like completeness, longing and return. The essence of reunion is a universal human need that touches people worldwide.

The reason Chinese games can serve as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world lies in the dual support of industrial strength and cultural value – and the collaboration between "Black Myth: Wukong" and McDonald's is a vivid testament to this. 

From an industrial perspective, Chinese games have become increasingly competitive globally. According to the latest half-year China Game Industry Report, released by the Game Publishing Committee and the Expert Committee on Game Industry Research on July 31, 2025, revenue from Chinese independently developed games in overseas markets reached 68.4 billion yuan ($9.5 billion), marking an 11.07 percent increase from a year earlier.

Leading manufacturers like Tencent and Mihoyo have mature Research and Development (R&D) technologies and global distribution channels, offering Chinese games tangible support for cultural outreach. This model of industrial strength carrying cultural value has turned Chinese games from mere entertainment into key channels for international brands to connect with Chinese culture. Ultimately, Chinese games stand as a core, appealing, and enabling carrier in China's cultural exchanges with the world.