On December 18, 2024, Sony Interactive Entertainment held an offline event in Shanghai to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the PlayStation in China.
A decade ago, the official launch of the PS4 in China marked a pivotal moment for the gaming industry, effectively ending the console sales ban imposed since 2000. However, the resolution of hardware issues gave rise to challenges in content scarcity.
For both Sony and the other two members of the “big three” console manufacturers, a decade-long market void meant that China’s content ecosystem and user habits diverged significantly from those in overseas markets. On both the production and consumption ends, it was essentially a fresh start. As the first console manufacturer to reenter the market, Sony tackled this by introducing classic games to China and strongly supporting local game developers—leading to the creation of the China Hero Project.
The China Hero Project is a PlayStation initiative aimed at mentoring and supporting Chinese game developers. Since its launch in 2016, the program has helped multiple local development teams, resulting in the release of various titles across domestic and international platforms. These games span mainstream genres, including shooters, puzzle-solving, and action-adventure.
In November 2022, the third phase of the China Hero Project was officially launched. This phase promises comprehensive one-stop support, including funding and technical assistance, for up to ten games. Notably, the scale of this third phase surpasses its predecessors, with each selected project receiving free resources worth approximately RMB 1 million (USD 140,000).
Of course, content production in the gaming industry is inherently uncertain. While the China Hero Project has yielded critically acclaimed works like FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch and Hardcore Mecha, several highly anticipated projects failed to succeed. From its first phase to the current third phase, Sony and numerous studios have continued exploring how to make great games.
On the day following the anniversary event, Sony hosted a media roundtable featuring Bao Bo, head of the China Hero Project; Yang Bing, creator of Lost Soul Aside; Xu Min, producer of Convallaria; and Ying Chao, producer of Unending Dawn. Together, they discussed the development of these three titles and the opportunities and support brought by the China Hero Project over the years.
During the anniversary party, the single-player action game Lost Soul Aside released a new promotional trailer, announcing its planned 2025 release on PS5 and PC platforms. Meanwhile, the multiplayer online shooter Convallaria is also set to launch in 2025. The new anime-inspired open-world title Unending Dawn, part of the third phase of the China Hero Project, had a closed beta test at this year’s ChinaJoy but has yet to announce a release timeline.
When asked about Lost Soul Aside’s exact release date, Bao said that while the project is on track, the development team must persevere due to challenges inherent to the gaming industry.
For Convallaria, producer Xu shared that the core game content is complete and is now in the polishing and optimization stage. The game will adopt a “games-as-a-service” model, offering free downloads with seasonal updates and paid battle passes. With Sony’s support in international promotion and localization, the game is expected to launch simultaneously in over a dozen countries and regions in 2026.
According to previous announcements, Convallaria blends player-versus-player (PvP) and player-versus-environment (PvE) gameplay, requiring players to compete before teaming up to fight against non-player enemies. The game’s PvP mode resembles third-person battle royale titles, with tactical abilities and gameplay elements reminiscent of Apex Legends. Given Apex Legends’ recent struggles with player retention due to operational issues, Convallaria could capture this audience with its robust global strategy and long-term operational approach.
Unending Dawn emphasizes engaging combat within an anime-inspired open-world setting, requiring players to master challenging mechanics. During initial playtests, almost no participants managed to defeat the demo’s boss. Ying said that the team is currently expanding game content while refining combat mechanics based on player feedback.
Compared to eight years ago, the scope of the China Hero Project’s third phase has significantly expanded. Most of the projects selected for this phase are led by experienced development teams, targeting various game genres.
Bao, head of the China Hero Project, explained that the initiative’s objectives have evolved. Initially, the project focused on helping small independent studios survive, but now its goal is to empower medium- to large-sized teams to tackle higher-tier games.
This shift may reflect the growth of China’s game development talent pool. Bao noted that more experienced developers are entering the field, often launching their own startups. “Some of these developers boldly stated that they aimed to surpass games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. As I got to know them better, it became clear they weren’t speaking lightly—they had genuine experience and expertise to back their aspirations,” he said.
The evolving aspirations of China Hero Project participants mirror the development of China’s gaming industry. Alongside a maturing talent pool, market demand for AAA-quality games has grown, as evidenced by the massive popularity of Black Myth: Wukong. This success has emboldened Chinese developers to think global.
While more developers are taking the challenge in their stride, the heavy focus on specific genres could be problematic. Among the nine titles revealed in the third phase of the China Hero Project, a noticeable trend is the rise of action roleplaying and soulslike games. While these titles stand out in visual style and world-building, their gameplay often rely on familiar, market-tested formulas. This lack of originality is cause for concern.
The Western gaming industry has already shown signs of genre fatigue. For example, Astro’s Playroom and Card Shark both won key awards at the 2024 Game Awards, signaling a desire for innovation over technical repetition. Similarly, the rapid advancements of Unreal Engine 5 and other technologies have raised player expectations for visual fidelity and originality.
For major single-player titles with long development cycles, clustering around the same mechanics could lead to oversaturation. Without distinct creative elements or competitive advantages, developers risk alienating players with genre fatigue.
The following interview has been edited and consolidated for brevity and clarity.
Q: Lost Soul Aside has been in development for many years. Numerous developers have cited it as their inspiration to start their own projects, yet many of those games have already launched while Lost Soul Aside remains in production. Now that it is set to release next year, could you share your journey?
Yang Bing (YB): Yes, it has been a long time. For me, the boundary between the game’s development and my personal life has gradually blurred—it has essentially become part of my daily existence.
When I started, it was just me working alone. After it gained public attention, I received significant encouragement, and more collaborators and friends joined to form a proper team. At the beginning, we were inexperienced and eager to try everything, which led to many mistakes and challenges. There was even a period when the entire project and I personally hit a low point. Gradually, with more support and the team’s growing expertise, I regained my rhythm. Today, as we approach the final stages of development, I feel confident that the results will be worth the wait and meet players’ expectations.
Q: Compared to other standalone games, why has Lost Soul Aside taken such a long time to develop? Does the current version still align with the original vision from eight years ago?
YB: The primary reason is quite practical. When Lost Soul Aside first attracted attention, I didn’t have the experience or ability to deliver a fully realized product. Much of the time since then has been dedicated to building a capable team and overcoming various challenges through trial and error.
The final version will reflect our team’s abilities and make full use of the resources available to us. While there have been many adjustments along the way, we’ve preserved the art style and other elements that players loved in the initial footage. For example, the protagonist’s relationship with his dragon has been expanded, and the narrative has been enriched. The combat style remains fast-paced and visually striking.
Q: You mentioned that Lost Soul Aside has evolved since its inception. How long ago was the current version finalized? Did development begin with a specific segment, or was the entire world framework built first?
YB: The overall tone of the game was decided in 2021 when we released a ten-minute promotional video. The sequence shown in that video became the reference template for the rest of the game’s development, including its narrative and world-building. After that, we solidified the gameplay flow and expanded the game’s scope, ensuring that everything fit within the established framework.
Q: The latest Lost Soul Aside demo showed improvements in smoothness and visual fidelity compared to earlier versions. What optimizations have been made in the past year, and what will you focus on before the official release?
YB: Following the feedback from Sony Interactive Entertainment and other testers, we optimized every enemy in the game. We’re still fine-tuning these details to achieve a level we’re satisfied with.
We’ve also invested significant effort in upgrading the game’s visual assets. The project initially started during the PS4 era, so many assets were created with that platform in mind. After transitioning to PS5, we enhanced the visuals and completed a major overhaul of the game’s art last year, with extensive support from the China Hero Project team.
Currently, we’re making final adjustments to the story, animations, and other aspects to ensure the overall experience is polished.
Q: Both Lost Soul Aside and Convallaria have been in development for a long time. How have you adapted to changes in the gaming industry, player expectations, and market trends during this period?
Xu Min (XM): The market for multiplayer shooting games has changed significantly since the project’s inception. Throughout development, we’ve closely monitored trends and adjusted our design accordingly. For example, we originally targeted the PS4, but the hardware landscape has shifted, and we’ve now optimized the game for PS5 Pro. Players’ expectations for graphics and gameplay have also increased, which required us to iterate on our art and design.
On the technical side, we considered switching to Unreal Engine 5 but decided to stick with the latest version of Unreal Engine 4 after discussions with our technical and publishing teams. This decision allowed us to focus on stability and performance.
YB: I’ve faced similar challenges with Lost Soul Aside. Over time, my personal preferences have also evolved, which is reflected in the game. For example, some sections of the game felt unnecessarily long, so we trimmed them to create a more linear and fast-paced experience. The game’s difficulty has also been adjusted; we’ve made combat more accessible by adding clearer visual prompts and reducing enemy complexity.
Q: After ChinaJoy, what feedback did the Unending Dawn team receive, and how has that influenced development?
Ying Chao (YC): We’ve made substantial changes based on player feedback, particularly in combat mechanics. In earlier versions, we extended the intervals between enemy attacks to give players more time to react, but this reduced the combat’s intensity. We’ve since reworked the rhythm, making attack and defense transitions more seamless and dynamic.
We’ve also worked on lowering the learning curve. Playtesters noted that the boss battles were particularly difficult, so we’ve adjusted the combat to make it more approachable while retaining the challenge. Additionally, we’ve refined animations and improved the overall feel of the controls. These adjustments are ongoing and will likely continue post-launch.
Q: Since its launch in 2016, the China Hero Project has supported the development of many Chinese games. As one of the earliest initiatives to back domestic game development, how would you evaluate the project’s progress so far? What are your aspirations for its future?
Bao Bo (BB): Looking back at the past eight years of the China Hero Project, I feel it has evolved alongside the gaming industry. Why has the third phase been slightly different? It’s because the quality of the developers we now engage with, as well as their ambitions, has significantly grown compared to before.
Initially, most of the teams we worked with were passionate indie developers. Over time, however, we began to encounter highly professional developers who left established studios to start their own ventures. Some of these developers boldly stated that they aimed to surpass games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. As I got to know them better, it became clear they weren’t speaking lightly—they had genuine experience and expertise to back their aspirations.
After conducting research on about 30–40 teams, I started to wonder: could the China Hero Project set even higher goals? The ambitions of today’s developers are no longer limited to simply releasing a game; they want to create titles that can compete with the strongest global competitors.
I thought, if so many developers share this vision, and the China Hero Project’s mission has always been to support Chinese creators, why not integrate this larger goal into our own vision? This idea gained widespread support within the company.
In terms of practical support, we’re also aiming to become more professional. Recently, we’ve been exploring exactly what kind of expertise is missing at key stages of development. For instance, if a project encounters technical challenges, we now bring in external experts to regularly review and mitigate risks. In the past, we might have hesitated to invest in this level of support, but now it has become a priority.
Currently, we are progressing alongside Chinese developers. Over the past year, we’ve seen the emergence of several standout Chinese single-player games. This is excellent news for the industry. Many users had never experienced ultra-realistic game projects before, especially the unique sensation of defeating a boss in such a game. Once they try it, it’s unforgettable. Now that Chinese developers are creating these experiences, it represents an incredible opportunity for the industry.
If the China Hero Project has contributed to this progress—whether by boosting the confidence of teams or by providing tangible support that helped improve the quality of their projects—we consider that a significant achievement.
Q: It’s been two years since the third phase of the China Hero Project was announced, with nine games selected so far. Some were showcased at this year’s ChinaJoy, while others remain under wraps. Could you provide an update on their progress?
BB: Here’s a summary of each project’s current status:
- Astral Blade has already launched. It debuted on PS5 and PC this October, with solid sales figures.
- Will-less has encountered some challenges, but we’re actively working to resolve them.
- Exiledge, Daba: Land of Water Scar, The Winds Rising, and The God Slayer are all progressing smoothly and are in active development.
- Project: Jinyiwei is advancing steadily, with the team recently expanding.
- Loulan is a smaller-scale project but is progressing well.
Ying Chao (YC): For Unending Dawn, we’re currently expanding the game’s content. This includes adding more levels, combat scenarios, playable characters, and narrative elements. Based on feedback from ChinaJoy playtests and private testing, we’re making further refinements to improve the game’s overall quality and player experience.
Q: Indie developers seem to prefer platforms like PC or Nintendo Switch for their games, with PlayStation versions often coming later. Why are so few indie titles selected for the China Hero Project? Does this reflect Sony’s stance on indie games, or are there inherent challenges for indie games on the PlayStation platform?
BB: That’s a great question. First, let me clarify that I can only speak on behalf of the China Hero Project. We don’t receive a large volume of submissions from indie developers—maybe a few dozen in total. While some of these projects show promise, the quality varies significantly.
The selection process for the China Hero Project involves evaluating several key aspects, such as visuals, gameplay, narrative, and technical execution. We don’t impose restrictions on game genres, but the reality is that turning a demo into a polished, market-ready product is a challenge that not all teams can meet.
Additionally, some indie games tackle themes that are difficult for us to support, such as extreme violence or niche, controversial content. Our goal is to help developers obtain official publishing licenses, and such projects can complicate that process. Despite these challenges, we remain open to collaborating with indie developers whose work aligns with our vision and standards.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Xue Dexing for 36Kr.