AI games on TapTap are exploding in volume. Data disclosed by TapTap CEO Huang Yimeng shows the platform registered 5,002 new playable games in the first half of 2026, up from 530 in the same period of 2025 — an increase of 843.8%.
More than 80% were made with AI help
According to the information, more than 4,000 of these titles were developed with artificial intelligence assistance. TapTap launched the TapTap Maker tool in January, which allows games to be created via browser with natural language. In six months, around 3,000 creators produced nearly 5,000 games through it.
The phenomenon is not limited to China. At the recent Steam Next Fest, the number of playable demos doubled to 8,200, and estimates indicate that more than 30% use AI-generated content. Globally, Roblox reported that more than 70,000 games created with its Build tool use AI, and more than 80% of the top 100 by playtime in September were developed with AI assistance.
Quality versus quantity
The supply explosion creates challenges. SteamData.AI data shows that among 8,651 games that disclosed AI use, aggregate revenue was about US$397 million, but the leading title, Red Desert, captured 42.9% of the total. The top 10 concentrated 65.9% and the top 100, 86.6%. This indicates that volume does not automatically translate into revenue democratization.
Platforms such as Tencent (with Youdianling and other tools) and ByteDance are also investing in AI-assisted creation. A commercial success example is the game Buwenfancheng, from Jiangnan Studio (ByteDance), developed by about 20 people in nine months, which earned an estimated RMB 10 million in the first three weeks on Steam China.
Sources: 36Kr, ChinaBizInsider
By Grok
