Lunar New Year’s Impact on Gaming

Lunar New Year is primarily associated with Asia, but its significance extends far beyond the region, making it a global celebration. More than 2 billion people worldwide celebrate Lunar New Year, making it one of the most widely observed holidays. While it is most prominent in East Asia and Southeast Asia, its influence has spread to other continents due to migration, globalization, and cultural appreciation.

It’s a time of family reunions, traditions, and festivities, but it also has a major influence on the video game industry. With millions of people taking time off and receiving lucky red envelopes filled with cash, gaming activity sees a noticeable surge, making it a key period for developers, publishers, and platforms.

From special in-game events to increased spending, here’s how Lunar New Year affects the gaming world and what players can expect during this festive season.

Surge in Player Engagement and Spending

One of the biggest impacts of Lunar New Year on gaming is the increase in player activity. Many people get an extended holiday and hundreds of dollars in cash, providing them with more free time and resources to engage with their favorite games. This leads to:

Higher concurrent players in online multiplayer games: Online multiplayer games experienced a 15-20% rise in daily active users (DAU) during the Lunar New Year holiday compared to an average month. Honor of Kings and Genshin Impact saw some of the largest surges, with player engagement increasing by 30-50%.

Increased engagement in live-service games: Games with live events saw a 25-35% increase in player retention rates during Lunar New Year. League of Legends and Call of Duty Mobile reported record participation rates in seasonal Lunar New Year events.

Surge in Microtransactions and In-Game Spending: Overall in-game spending increased by 18-25% across major gaming platforms. Players in China alone spent over $500 million on mobile and PC games during the Lunar New Year period. The "red envelope" effect (players using gifted cash to buy in-game items) contributed to a 30% boost in microtransactions in popular gacha and mobile games.

Market Response and Developer Strategy: Game publishers scheduled major content drops, anticipating higher engagement. This included new characters, skins, and time-limited content. Steam’s Lunar New Year Sale generated a 12% increase in revenue in 2024, compared to the previous year.

Lunar New Year has a measurable and significant impact on gaming engagement and spending, translating into a golden opportunity for developers and publishers to introduce compelling content and promotions that keep players engaged.

Special Lunar New Year Events and Content

Capitalizing on this opportunity we see that many video games celebrate Lunar New Year with limited-time events, exclusive skins, and in-game activities. Some of the most popular games that regularly feature Lunar New Year content include:

League of Legends – Riot Games often releases themed skins and in-game missions to celebrate the event.

Overwatch – Blizzard introduces special Lunar New Year skins, game modes, and challenges.

Genshin Impact – This popular action RPG incorporates holiday-themed quests, rewards, and sometimes new characters.

Pokémon GO – This wildly popular game rings in the Lunar New Year with event bonuses, research, and increased chances to find certain Pokemon in the wild.

These events drive engagement by giving players a sense of exclusivity, encouraging them to log in and participate before the content disappears.

Lunar New Year Sales on Digital Platforms

Not to be left out, we see that even major digital game platforms, such as Steam, are making the most of Lunar New Year by running special sales and awareness campaigns.?

Steam Lunar New Year Sale: ?One of the biggest gaming sales events of the year, offering massive discounts on thousands of titles.

PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo eShop Promotions: These platforms also introduce regional sales, especially targeting Asian markets.

Much like the Black Friday or Winter sales in Western markets, the Lunar New Year Sale serves as a great time for players to grab new games at discounted prices, leading to increased revenue for game publishers.

Boost in Esports and Streaming Viewership

With more people on break, gaming-related content consumption also rises. When looking at 2024 data, as shown below, we see quite an increase in both viewers and time.?

Average Twitch & YouTube Gaming viewership increased 12-18% compared to non-holiday weeks. While peak concurrent viewers topped 3.5 million on Twitch, a 15% rise from the prior month.

Games with Lunar New Year events saw a 20-30% boost in live-streamed hours. With Genshin Impact, League of Legends, and Honor of Kings seeing a 30-50% spike in their streaming numbers.

Esports tournaments also saw an increase in viewership, wiith a 25% boost during the Lunar New Year period in 2024.

China-based streaming platforms (Douyu, Huya) saw a 40% increase in total watch time.

While China and Southeast Asia contributed nearly 60% of the total viewership surge, North America and Europe also saw a 10-15% increase, showing Lunar New Year's expanding global impact.

Game publishers and tournament organizers often capitalize on this by scheduling special competitions, collaborations, and promotions during this period. Expect similar or even higher growth rates as gaming continues to expand in Asia and the number of people celebrating Lunar New Year continues to expand globally.

Impact on Game Release Strategies

Lunar New Year also has an impact on the business of releasing games and updates. It's such a high-traffic period for gaming, some companies strategically plan game releases around it.?

A well-timed launch can capitalize on increased free time for players, higher spending due to an influx in disposable income, new players looking for new experiences, and generally more exposure from gaming communities that are more active during this period.?

Conversely, developers in countries that celebrate Lunar New Year may take time off, causing delays in updates, patches, or new content for ongoing games.

Final Thoughts

Lunar New Year is more than just a cultural celebration—it’s a pivotal moment for the gaming industry. Developers roll out themed content, platforms push massive sales, and player activity skyrockets. Whether you’re a casual gamer looking for seasonal rewards or a hardcore fan hoping to score big on discounts, this festive period offers something for everyone.

For game developers and businesses, understanding the trends around Lunar New Year is crucial to maximizing engagement and revenue. As the gaming industry continues to grow globally, the influence of this holiday will only become stronger in shaping player behavior and market trends.

So, as we enjoy the Lunar New Year, keep an eye out for exciting in-game events, great deals, and a chance to immerse yourself in the festive gaming spirit!?