TAIPEI, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- At the ongoing 2026 Taipei Game Show, the booth of "Wuthering Waves," an action role-playing game (RPG) by mainland developers, has been surrounded by excited gaming enthusiasts eager to purchase character merchandise.
"I like the game since it has great illustrations and a touching story, and it also frequently releases new characters," said a visitor surnamed Wang, who bought a photo card of a recently released character.
The 25-year-old traveled from Taichung in central Taiwan to Taipei for the event. He said his last visit to the game show was back in middle school with friends, and that this time he mainly came for "Wuthering Waves" and another action RPG, "Zenless Zone Zero," also by mainland developers.
Both games were released in 2024 and have gained popularity among players in Taiwan. They are also among several mainland titles drawing large crowds at this year's exhibition, which runs from Thursday to Sunday and showcases more than 500 games.
A staff member in charge of marketing at the "Wuthering Waves" booth told Xinhua that attendance at his booth on the first day was estimated at more than 2,500 visitors. "Players from Taiwan are extremely enthusiastic and the on-site interactions are great, bringing a warm atmosphere," he said.
Nana Chang, a public relations specialist at the Taipei Game Show, said that more games from the mainland have joined the exhibition, with increased spending on stage performances and interactive activities.
"Players in Taiwan are also willing to spend money in games for better experiences," she said, referring to in-game purchases for characters, items, or premium features.
"Escape from Duckov," an extraction shooter video game published by Shanghai-based company Bilibili, is participating in the Taipei Game Show for the first time.
Beyond the exhibition, mainland games have also sparked active discussion on Taiwan's online anime and gaming communities, where boards for titles such as "Wuthering Waves," "Arknights: Endfield," and "Where Winds Meet" remain highly active.
A recent editorial published by Taiwan-based Want Daily argued that the rise of the game industry on the mainland has been driven by culturally distinctive, high-quality content that resonates strongly with players.
For gamers, the appeal lies most directly in engaging gameplay and compelling narratives. "The consistently updated high-quality storylines and innovative gameplay are key strengths of games by mainland developers," said a visitor surnamed Wu. "These are the major reasons I like them."
