Category: Industry Insights

Digital Technology Revitalizes Intangible Cultural Heritage — Jingdezhen World Heritage Inscription Sets Global Model for Chinese Traditional Culture Global Communication

Posted on by Awn China

On July 25 local time, the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea, approved the inscription of Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites on the World Heritage List. China now boasts 61 World Heritage Sites, filling the long-standing blank of porcelain-themed heritage within the global UNESCO framework. The millennia-old porcelain capital[…..] […]

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Judge Extends Temporary Restraining Order for Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger by Another 14 Days;

Posted on by Awn China

Judge Extends Temporary Restraining Order for Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger by Another 14 Days; $111 Billion Integration Halted, Dealing Severe Blows to Strategic Layouts of Both Media Giants On July 23 local time, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin of the Northern District of California ruled to extend the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) blocking the $111 billion[…..] […]

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EU Allocates €6.1 Million to Empower Game Studios for Innovative Tools & New Business Models

Posted on by Awn China

The European Union has released a total of €6.1 million in targeted funding under the funding strand “Innovative Tools and Business Models”, delivering strong financial backing to Europe’s video game creative sector to boost technological R&D and sustainable monetization frameworks across the continent’s game development ecosystem. Among the 11 approved projects under this funding round,[…..] […]

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Google to Open Google Play to Third-Party App Stores Starting Last Week ; Antitrust Ruling Reshapes Android Ecosystem with Short-Term Revenue Pressure on Google

Posted on by Awn China

After a six-year antitrust legal battle with Epic Games, Google has formally abandoned the previously proposed compromise settlement and fully complied with the original U.S. court injunction. Starting last week, Android users in the U.S. can directly download and install third-party app stores within Google Play under the newly launched Play Catalog Access Program. The[…..] […]

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National Policies, AI Tech & Local Infrastructure Jointly Fuel China’s Intelligent Global Expansion into “Going Global 2.0”

Posted on by Awn China

The integration of artificial intelligence and overseas expansion has entered a new era across China’s industries. Enterprises have moved past the 1.0 phase of isolated AI tools such as machine translation and asset generation, and fully embraced Going Global 2.0 — an intelligent ecosystem built on multi-agent collaboration, full-chain data-driven decision-making and comprehensive efficiency improvement. Supported[…..] […]

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Mass Game Shutdowns in H1 2026: Root Causes & Strategic Implications for Gaming Publishers

Posted on by Awn China

China’s video game industry underwent a drastic consolidation wave in the first half of 2026. Industry tracker Jinghe’s incomplete statistics show at least 28 titles from major publishers announced server shutdowns, content suspension or full development termination, with over 30 games worldwide winding down services in the six-month period. Tencent and NetEase, the two domestic[…..] […]

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Generative AI Reaches 100% Adoption Across Japan’s Online Gaming Industry; Operational Efficiency Boost Clashes With Player Concerns Over Copyright & Homogenization

Posted on by Awn China

The Japan Online Game Association (JOGA), in partnership with Kadokawa ASCII Research Laboratories, has released its landmark 22nd annual industry report JOGA Online Game Market Research Report 2026. Based on large-scale dual surveys targeting domestic online game operators and end users, the report reveals Japan’s 2025 online gaming market hit ¥989.9 billion, with 100% of[…..] […]

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Disney Completes Third Wave of Mass Layoffs; Cost Restructuring Reshapes Business Strategy & Triggers Structural Changes Across Global Entertainment Industry

Posted on by Awn China

On July 21, 2026, The Walt Disney rolled out its third company-wide round of layoffs this year, cutting hundreds of employees across core divisions including Pixar Animation Studios, National Geographic, ESPN and corporate functional departments. This workforce reduction is not a short-term emergency measure, but a core overhaul launched by newly appointed CEO Josh D’Amaro[…..] […]

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Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis to Cease Global Operations This October: Root Causes, Player Impacts and Strategic Adjustments for Square Enix Mobile Business

Posted on by Awn China

Square Enix pulls the plug on FF7: Ever Crisis after less than three years; Sluggish revenue growth forces strategic reshuffle of its mobile game portfolio Square Enix officially issued an end-of-service notice on July 7, 2026, confirming that its cross-platform free-to-play RPG Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis will permanently shut down at 11 PM PDT on[…..] […]

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Stop-Motion Short *Into the Forest* Claims Young Audience Award at Annecy Festival, Elevating Swiss Animation on Global Stage

Posted on by Awn China

Antonin Niclass’ Stop-Motion Gem *Into the Forest* Wins Annecy Young Audience Award, Celebrating Creativity and Swiss Handcrafted Animation LONDON, June 27, 2026 – The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, widely hailed as the “Oscar of Animation”, has handed its coveted Young Audience Award to Swiss stop-motion short film *Into the Forest*, helmed by award-winning[…..] […]

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