Inven Global

※ Inven delivers a monthly report on Taiwan's gaming market. Get an at-a-glance look at news from the increasingly important Taiwanese gaming market. This report data was provided by HappyTuk (www.mangot5.com), an online and mobile game publisher operating in Taiwan.

In September, the Taiwanese gaming industry made its presence felt at overseas exhibitions and international esports stages. First, Bahamut supported nine Taiwanese indie development teams in attending Tokyo Game Show 2026. Selected development teams—including DA2 Creative, Hi-Five Dog, and Mariana Games—received participation subsidies. Their games spanned various genres from horror puzzles to story RPGs, rhythm shooting roguelites, and co-op action, connecting with global gamers and industry personnel. This support continues to back Taiwanese creators in expanding abroad and exchanging with international peers.

Locally, the '2026 Asia Esports Championship (AEC)' opened team registrations. Hosted by the Economic Development Department of New Taipei City Government, the tournament selected 'League of Legends' and 'VALORANT' as its titles and accepted applications through September 30 for participants aged 15 and older. Teams that pass the online qualifiers will advance to the offline finals held at New Taipei City Civic Plaza on November 28 and 29. The grand prize for each title is 70,000 New Taiwan Dollars, and the venue will feature attractions for spectators, including light shows and markets.

Achievements in international competitions also continued. At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the Taiwanese national team earned bronze medals in 'Naraka: Bladepoint' and 'Puyo Puyo' respectively, as well as a silver medal in 'League of Legends'. At the 'Monster Hunter Wilds' Monster Hunter Championship global tournament held during Tokyo Game Show 2026, Taiwanese representative team 'Monster Hunter Forever!!' finished in third place. Featuring regional tournament winners from Japan, the United States, France, and Taiwan, the Taiwanese team took on the designated time attack quest in two-person teams, earning a podium spot behind France and Japan.

▣ Taiwan PC Game Rankings for September

At the end of September, the MapleStory IP maintained its strong momentum in Taiwan's PC gaming community. As of September 30, 'MapleStory Worlds' took 1st place, 'MapleStory' placed 2nd, and 'MapleStory Classic' secured 3rd on Bahamut's PC game popularity rankings. With all three titles occupying the top spots, 'Diablo IV' and 'World of Warcraft' ranked 4th and 5th, respectively.

In particular, World of Warcraft gathered renewed attention following the reveal of 'World of Warcraft: Forever' at BlizzCon 2026. It is a separate version that reimagines the original Azeroth and expands into new stories and content beyond level 60 progression. A beta test began on September 17, emphasizing player interaction and the journey of adventure itself.

Elsewhere, 'Ragnarok Online' ranked 6th, 'Final Fantasy XIV' 7th, 'The Witcher' series 8th, and 'League of Legends' 9th. 'Seal Online' and 'Lineage Classic' occupied 10th and 11th, respectively. Furthermore, 'Dragon Nest Classic', which launched service on September 22, entered at 18th place, demonstrating Taiwanese players' interest in classic IPs.

▣ Taiwan Mobile Game Rankings for September

On mobile, 'SD Gundam G Generation Eternal' took 1st place on Bahamut's popularity rankings. 'Wuthering Waves' followed in 2nd, 'Mabinogi Mobile' placed 3rd, while 'Tower of Saviors' and 'Lineage M' ranked 4th and 5th, respectively. Various subculture games also earned spots on the charts, with 'Honkai: Star Rail' placing 9th and 'hololive Dreams' taking 15th.

Notable this month was long-standing mobile title 'Monster Strike', which climbed to 8th place driven by celebratory events and back-to-back collaborations. From September 1 to 18, it held its second collaboration with the 'Love Live!' series and introduced commemorative promotions ahead of its 13th anniversary, including free 10-pull summons. Near the end of the month, a second collaboration with 'Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-' was announced along with a free summon event for up to 4 participants joining together. HappyTuk explained that recruiting participants and sharing guides helped drive community engagement.

In free download rankings, 'Block Blast!' took 1st place on both major app stores, while NetEase's 'Eggy Party' ranked 3rd on Google Play and 5th on the App Store. Eggy Party is a casual game focused on obstacle courses, party battles, and user-generated maps. HappyTuk analyzed that season updates coinciding with the September back-to-school period, a collaboration with 'Peppa Pig', and promotions using short-form video content influenced new user acquisition and player returns. 'Roblox' also ranked 2nd on Google Play and 4th on the App Store, highlighting the strong download presence of casual, multiplayer titles.

In revenue, 'Honkai: Star Rail' reached 10th place on Google Play. HappyTuk cited the Version 4.6 update at the end of September, the release of a new character, and popular character reruns as key factors. The analysis noted that interest in the new character's performance and design aligned with demand for acquisitions. Fellow HoYoverse title 'Genshin Impact' also reached 10th in App Store revenue, showing the strong presence of subculture games.

At the top of revenue rankings, established popular titles maintained their stronghold. 'Star City Online (星城Online)' swept 1st place on both Google Play and the App Store, while 'Lineage M' and 'Lineage W' ranked 2nd and 3rd on Google Play, respectively. 'Lineage 2M' also took 8th on Google Play. Among strategy games, 'Last War: Survival' placed 4th on Google Play and 5th on the App Store, while 'Whiteout Survival' took 5th on Google Play and 4th on the App Store. Garena's 'Arena of Valor' stood at 2nd on the App Store and 7th on Google Play.

▣ Architect: Land of Exiles

'Architect: Land of Exiles', an MMORPG developed by Aqua Tree and published by DRIMAGE, was released on September 16 across Asian markets, including Taiwan. The game aims to be a high-end AAA MMORPG combining photorealistic Unreal Engine 5 graphics with top-tier technology. In South Korea, where service launched in October 2025, a 1st anniversary event is currently underway.

▣ Sea of Clouds

'Sea of Clouds (雲海之下)' is a fantasy idle RPG published by HappyTuk in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao, launched on September 17 across those regions. Players choose a class to begin their adventure and party up with other players to explore the world. Collecting various mythical beasts, leveling up characters, and building party compositions serve as core gameplay elements.

▣ Onimusha: Way of the Sword

'Onimusha: Way of the Sword' is Capcom's new entry in the Onimusha series. Set in early Edo-period Kyoto, the game follows Miyamoto Musashi as he fights against the Genma, featuring sword-based combat and the 'Oni Gauntlet' that absorbs enemy souls. In Taiwan, it drew strong interest from fans of the legacy series. At the time of report compilation, 90% of 15,299 total Steam reviews were positive, while 92% of 854 Traditional Chinese reviews were positive.

▣ Cheonsangbi K

'Cheonsangbi K' is a mobile MMORPG utilizing the Cheonsangbi IP, with HappyTuk handling publishing for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. Inheriting the original's martial arts world and 2D visual style, it adapts controls and growth mechanics for mobile environments. Pre-registration opened on September 17, with launch scheduled for October 1.