21st CCG EXPO Grandly Opens in Shanghai, Focusing on Tabletop & Indie Games; Citywide Campaign Boosts Summer Cultural Consumption

July 4, 2026, Shanghai – The 21st China International Comics & Games Expo (CCG EXPO 2026) kicked off at Shanghai International Sourcing Convention & Exhibition Center, running from July 4 to 6. Centered on the curatorial philosophy of “Greater professionalism for industry, greater accessibility for fans”, the expo zeroes in on two vertical tracks: tabletop games and indie games, building a comprehensive and authoritative exhibition platform for the domestic tabletop and indie game sector. Meanwhile, the city-wide campaign Roam the City with Your Favorite ACG Characters was launched simultaneously as a core segment of the 2nd Shanghai International Anime & Game Month, set to run until August 25 and fuel Shanghai’s summer cultural, tourism and retail consumption boom.

Covering nearly 10,000 square meters, the exhibition gathers 214 enterprises, studios and individual designers, showcasing more than 450 carefully selected game titles, among which over 100 tabletop games make their offline debut. The venue was packed with visitors on opening day, with organizers projecting around 20,000 on-site attendees over the three-day event. Leading domestic and international brands unveiled flagship new products: Jika Card launched Super Hero Clash, the first Marvel IP trading card game fully designed by a Chinese team; global tabletop giant Asmodee presented worldwide classics including Splendor and Toy Fights. Yoka Games showcased Dinosaur Age, the new work of chief designer KayaK, plus award-winning titles like Mysterious Persona from the World Original Tabletop Game Design Contest. Numerous independent Chinese creators brought culturally distinctive original works: a post-2000 designer created the wargame Changjin Lake recreating the historical battle, while a post-90s designer presented Five Flavors Formula, a tabletop game themed on traditional Chinese medicine and the Five Elements, winning wide acclaim from players for integrating traditional culture and revolutionary history into interactive gameplay.

Cao Jun, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Xuandong Exhibition Culture and representative of the CCG EXPO Organizing Committee, explained that tabletop games have become a must-have social activity for parties, family outings and corporate team building, thanks to their low entry barrier and strong interactivity. The domestic tabletop industry is expanding from niche fan circles to mass consumers, while indie games maintain robust growth driven by innovative gameplay and unique creative expressions. Amid stock competition across the whole gaming industry, CCG EXPO deepens its layout of the “small table” track, slashing booth costs for independent developers and creating a direct channel for creators to receive real-time feedback from players, facilitating high-quality development of China’s original game industry.

Outside the exhibition hall, the city-wide roaming campaign has ignited urban pop culture. Twelve iconic IP ambassadors from hit anime and game franchises including Honkai: Star Rail, Arknights and Wuthering Waves guide visitors across over 20 check-in spots citywide, ranging from shopping malls and cultural landmarks to ancient towns. Early locations such as Jing’an Joy City, Nanxiang Ancient Town and the CCG main venue opened on launch day, with second-wave sites including the Oriental Pearl Tower, Tian’an 1000 Trees and BFC Bund Financial Center to follow. The event cooperates with sightseeing double-decker buses to roll out IP-themed vehicles, and the city’s first metro IP pop-up store will debut at People’s Square Metro Station in mid-July. With point accumulation, limited-edition character cards and lucky draw rewards, the campaign transfers online ACG popularity into offline consumption, expected to attract over 200,000 participants and power Shanghai’s first-release economy and trendy cultural tourism.

As a key event of Shanghai Summer Cultural Season and the Banma Suhe Cultural Tourism Festival, the 21st CCG EXPO integrates industrial display, public entertainment and urban consumption. It not only provides a professional exchange and trading platform for tabletop and indie game practitioners, but also enriches citizens’ summer cultural life. The expo further consolidates Shanghai’s status as a national hub for the anime and game industry, injecting fresh momentum into the city’s digital cultural and creative economy.