China approves next HoYoverse game, Astaweave Haven, in big sign-off round

Initiate the countdown towards launch

HoYoverse

The Chinese government has approved a total of 105 video game licenses in July 2024, among them HoYoverse’s upcoming title Astaweave Haven for PC, iOS, and Android, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

HoYoverse got the global trademark for Astaweave Haven approved earlier this month after its successful filing of the same in China back in February 2024. It’s currently unclear what type of game Astaweave Haven is going to be, though there are very persistent rumors that call it an Animal Crossing-like title.

Every video game launched in China needs to be greenlighted by the country’s publication authority, the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), so getting this obstacle out of the way is a big step towards release. It’s worth noting that each of these licenses is actually time-limited and needs to be renewed if the game hasn’t been released before that deadline arrives. 

While you can reapply for another approval, this always comes with the risk of getting caught up in political or bureaucratic shenanigans and having your game delayed further – which is why developers generally avoid that risk by launching their project in time. The license also limits the amount of public tests a developer can run that include aspects like monetization. In short: Getting NPPA approval is an important milestone and pretty much the first step towards release.

The NPPA has recently accelerated its approval rate, perhaps as a result of its disastrous attempt to introduce regulations on monetization at the end of last year, which led to massive value losses for the country’s big gaming companies at the stock market. Since then, the proposed changes have been scrapped and the responsible official has been fired. 

Putting the pedal to the metal in regards to approvals may be the NPPA’s way of giving the industry a boost – one that is much needed, as some Chinese companies are going through the same economic struggles as their western counterparts. One example is Hotta Studio owner Perfect World, which underwent layoffs and a leadership change recently.

As for HoYoverse: Astaweave Haven may be the next title on its agenda, but it has several other projects brewing in early development stages.