WEIBO ACG WORLD 2025

From May 3rd to 5th, the inaugural Weibo Game & Animation Expo (WEIBO ACG WORLD, abbreviated as WAW) was grandly held at the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Hall) in Beijing. WAW is the largest comprehensive game and animation expo in northern China, spanning over 50,000 square meters. The first edition attracted over 68,000 attendees, with nearly 80% of ticket buyers from northern regions and 77% under the age of 30.

https://m.weibo.cn/u/2188775873?luicode=10000011&lfid=1005053912522941#&video

This year’s WAW featured a “Star Meet & Greet” session, with appearances by over 100 popular esports teams & players, game streamers, cosers, voice actors, and illustrators. The event also included four themed exhibition halls: the Anime Dimension Stage, the Super Play Zone Stage, and autograph sessions. Leading anime IP exhibitors showcased their works, creating an immersive carnival spanning gaming, esports, and anime, catering to the diverse interests of ACG fans across different communities and regions. During the event, related Weibo topics garnered 2.45 billion reads, 9.5 million interactions, and made 87 appearances on the hot search list.

“By leveraging Weibo’s centralized traffic and super topic-based private domain operations, we precisely reached Gen Z users,” said Cheng Shenglin, General Manager of Weibo’s ACG division. Over 50% of attendees were under 24, with nearly 50% from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, while cities like Shanghai and Wuhan also showed strong participation. The offline “Merch Exchange Zone” saw fan-created derivative works, attracting over 50,000 visitors in a single day. Collaborations with nearby commercial districts like Xiangyun Town boosted dining and accommodation businesses.

The event vigorously promoted three leading industries—exhibition services, cultural trade, and creative design—along with potential cultural sectors like digital content and art. It strengthened support for the animation industry through funding and platform resources, actively connecting stakeholders to foster the healthy and orderly development of the cultural sector.