EightSix Games · +86
ChinamarketentryspecialistsforPCgames
Your game is on Steam, or about to be. We find it the right Chinese publisher, negotiate every clause of the deal, and check every revenue statement after launch. No upfront cost, no rights handed over, and you never leave Steam.
The gap
Chinese players are alreadyon Steam, in your genre,on your wishlists.
Western PC games pick up Chinese demand on their own, before launch and after it: untranslated, unmarketed and unmonetised. The demand is not your problem. The navigation is.
The journey
From your studio to China's players
Where you are
China found you first
Launched or still on wishlists, Western games on Steam pick up Chinese demand on their own. That signal is revenue nobody has organised yet.
Step one
We find the right publisher
Not the biggest name in China: the one with a real record in your genre. We build the shortlist, you make the call.
Step two
We negotiate the deal
The contract is where China deals go wrong. We negotiate every clause on your behalf and call out any term that would cost you later.
After launch
We stay on the numbers
We verify every revenue statement and query anything that does not add up. You get a short monthly summary, not a spreadsheet.
You approve. Your publisher executes. We navigate.
Regulatory navigation
Steam Global. No ISBN. No local entity.
The Steam Global route needs no NPPA approval, no Chinese business entity and no source-code handover. We map the route for your specific game and keep you clear of the parts that bite.
EightSixAdvises on route, compliance exposure and timing
YouApprove the approach and stay on Steam
Publisher matching
The right publisher for your genre
We shortlist against your genre's China comps and vet every candidate on three things: what they have published, what they spent marketing it, and whether they delivered what they promised.
EightSixResearch, vetting and shortlisting
YouReview the shortlist and choose the publisher
Cultural strategy
Built for Bilibili, Douyin, TapTap and WeChat
Chinese players discover games on platforms most Western studios never touch. We review your publisher's campaign plans for each one and hold them to their commitments.
EightSixCampaign oversight and content direction
YouApprove creative and keep final say
EightSix Games · +86
ChinamarketentryspecialistsforPCgames
Your game is on Steam, or about to be. We find it the right Chinese publisher, negotiate every clause of the deal, and check every revenue statement after launch. No upfront cost, no rights handed over, and you never leave Steam.
The gap
Chinese players are alreadyon Steam, in your genre,on your wishlists.
Western PC games pick up Chinese demand on their own, before launch and after it: untranslated, unmarketed and unmonetised. The demand is not your problem. The navigation is.
Where you are
China found you first
Launched or still on wishlists, Western games on Steam pick up Chinese demand on their own. That signal is revenue nobody has organised yet.
Step one
We find the right publisher
Not the biggest name in China: the one with a real record in your genre. We build the shortlist, you make the call.
Step two
We negotiate the deal
The contract is where China deals go wrong. We negotiate every clause on your behalf and call out any term that would cost you later.
After launch
We stay on the numbers
We verify every revenue statement and query anything that does not add up. You get a short monthly summary, not a spreadsheet.
What EightSix does
You approve. Your publisher executes. We navigate.
Regulatory navigation
Steam Global. No ISBN. No local entity.
The Steam Global route needs no NPPA approval, no Chinese business entity and no source-code handover. We map the route for your specific game and keep you clear of the parts that bite.
Publisher matching
The right publisher for your genre
We shortlist against your genre's China comps and vet every candidate on three things: what they have published, what they spent marketing it, and whether they delivered what they promised.
Cultural strategy
Built for Bilibili, Douyin, TapTap and WeChat
Chinese players discover games on platforms most Western studios never touch. We review your publisher's campaign plans for each one and hold them to their commitments.
The other side
One route keeps everything yours.
Chinese players are already on Steam, in your genre, on your wishlists. Western PC games pick up Chinese demand on their own, before launch and after it: untranslated, unmarketed and unmonetised.
Where you are. Launched or still on wishlists, Western games on Steam pick up Chinese demand on their own. That signal is revenue nobody has organised yet.
Step one. Not the biggest name in China: the one with a real record in your genre. We build the shortlist, you make the call.
Step two. The contract is where China deals go wrong. We negotiate every clause on your behalf and call out any term that would cost you later.
After launch. We verify every revenue statement and query anything that does not add up. You get a short monthly summary, not a spreadsheet.
Regulatory navigation. The Steam Global route needs no NPPA approval, no Chinese business entity and no source-code handover. We map the route for your specific game and keep you clear of the parts that bite.
Publisher matching. We shortlist against your genre's China comps and vet every candidate on three things: what they have published, what they spent marketing it, and whether they delivered what they promised.
Cultural strategy. Chinese players discover games on platforms most Western studios never touch. We review your publisher's campaign plans for each one and hold them to their commitments.
The model
Three ways into China. One keeps everything yours.
EightSix advisory
Keep your rights, stay on Steam
- Technical freedom
Full control
Your codebase, your build, your Steam page. No source code changes hands and no publishing rights are transferred.
- Market entry
Navigated for you
Regulatory route, publisher shortlist and deal terms handled by people who do this for a living.
- Revenue model
Success-based
Typically a share of China net revenue: paid from money that would not otherwise exist.
- Local execution
Publisher-delivered, overseen
Your Chinese publisher runs localisation, marketing and community. We make sure what was promised actually ships.
- Best for
AA and AAA studios
Teams with shipped PC titles who want China revenue without building a China operation.
Compared with self-publishingThe DIY route
- Technical freedom
Complete
Full control, but every China-specific requirement lands on your team.
- Market entry
Complex
Platform relationships, cultural nuance and regulatory judgement built from scratch.
- Revenue model
Direct
Keep all revenue, carry all cost and risk of entry and operations.
- Local execution
None
Local marketing, community and support are yours to build and staff.
- Best for
Studios with China teams
Viable with existing in-country experience and budget.
Compared with traditional ISBN publishingThe licensed route
- Technical freedom
Limited
Often requires technical changes, and the publisher controls the licensed build.
- Market entry
Slow
ISBN approval queues and long negotiations before any revenue.
- Revenue model
Publisher-favoured
Larger revenue shares for the publisher, sometimes with IP rights attached.
- Local execution
Variable
Quality depends on the publisher, and their priorities may not be yours.
- Best for
Trading control for reach
Suited to teams comfortable with traditional licensing terms.
Two pathways
PC via Steam Global is the primary route: no ISBN, no local entity. For mobile titles, the licensed route runs through Chinese publisher deals with different economics, and we advise on both.
Behind EightSix
Built on years of China co-publishing deals
EightSix was founded by Louis Ellingworth after years spent bringing Western games to Chinese players: sourcing publishers, structuring co-publishing deals and seeing exactly where they go wrong for developers. That experience now works for your studio.
How an engagement runs
Proposal-led. Scoped to your game.
No rate card and no tiers. Every engagement is scoped individually, typically as a share of China net revenue, and it starts with a free look at your demand.
Demand assessment
We read the signal your game already gives off: Simplified Chinese reviews, wishlist geography and how comparable titles performed in China. Within days you know whether the numbers justify a move.
Publisher shortlist
Within weeks you have a vetted shortlist of three to five publishers matched to your genre, with our notes on each: never a cold directory. You pick, we make the introductions.
Deal navigation
Revenue share, marketing commitments, recoupment thresholds and reversion clauses: we negotiate each one on your behalf and flag anything that is not in your favour before you sign.
Post-launch oversight
Every revenue statement is checked against the contract before you see it. What slips gets escalated, and what matters reaches you as a monthly summary you can forward straight to your board.
The indicative timeline, phase by phase
- Months 1 to 2
Strategic assessment
EightSix maps the market opportunity for your specific game and defines the ideal co-publisher profile and deal structure. You provide the build, genre detail and revenue targets.
- Months 3 to 5
Publisher shortlisting and vetting
EightSix researches and screens candidates, then runs introductory calls to assess fit. You review the shortlist and select preferred candidates.
- Months 5 to 7
Deal negotiation and signing
EightSix negotiates revenue share, marketing commitments and recoupment terms, and reviews the contract for developer-unfavourable clauses. You approve final terms and sign.
- Months 8 to 10
Launch preparation
EightSix coordinates localisation and cultural QA, and reviews the co-publisher's campaign plan. You provide assets and approve localised content and marketing direction.
- Months 11 to 12
Steam Global launch
EightSix monitors launch performance, holds the co-publisher accountable and tracks revenue reporting accuracy. You receive weekly summaries through the launch window.
- Month 12 onwards
Growth and oversight
EightSix verifies revenue on an ongoing basis, reviews publisher performance and identifies growth opportunities such as DLC, events and platform expansion. You receive monthly reports and approve major decisions.
Before you ask
The questions every studio asks first
What does EightSix cost?
There is no upfront fee. Every engagement is scoped per game in a written proposal, typically as a share of China net revenue: we are paid out of money that would not otherwise exist.
Do we need an ISBN licence or a Chinese entity?
Not on the primary route. Steam Global titles need no NPPA approval, no ISBN and no Chinese business entity. Mobile titles run through the licensed route, which we also advise on.
Who owns the IP?
You do, throughout. No publishing rights and no source code are transferred. Your Chinese co-publisher licenses only what the deal explicitly defines, and we negotiate those boundaries before you sign.
What does the free assessment involve?
Send your Steam page link. Within 24 hours on working days you get an honest read of your existing China demand: reviews, wishlists and comparable titles, plus which publisher types fit and a realistic revenue share range. No pitch, no obligation.
What happens if the publisher underperforms?
Marketing and delivery commitments are written into the contract, and we track them monthly. When something slips we escalate it with the publisher, and the reversion clauses we negotiate up front define your exit.
The next step
Find out what your game is worth in China
A free assessment of your game's existing China demand: reviews, wishlists and comparable titles, summarised in plain English. No pitch, no obligation, and you keep your IP either way.
The next step
Find out what your game is worth in China
A free assessment of your game's existing China demand: reviews, wishlists and comparable titles, summarised in plain English. No pitch, no obligation, and you keep your IP either way.