“Super Mario” and “Monster Hunter” Secure Approval for China Release

Chinese regulators have approved a swath of new gaming content for the Chinese market, including Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for Nintendo’s Switch console, as well as Monster Hunter World, which was infamously taken down days after its original release in 2018. The news comes as the launch date draws near for the Switch, which was greenlit for Chinese distribution in April but still hasn’t hit stores.

Super Mario’s approval is good news for Nintendo, which has been working hard to get its games released in China through a partnership with Tencent, the Japanese and Chinese gaming giants working together to localize Switch games for China. 

The collaboration goes beyond regulatory approval — the two companies are also building in new monetization features through WeChat Pay, and configuring Nintendo Switch Online to be compatible with Tencent Cloud computing services. Tencent has also recently opened a Tmall store for the Switch, further paving the way for the system’s launch in China. Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe will be published by Tencent in China, rather than Nintendo.

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In addition to the Mario Bros. title, Capcom’s smash hit Monster Hunter World, which was removed from China’s PC gaming market last year, has also gained approval for a fresh China release, but on the PS4.

The approvals come as China’s gaming industry struggles to digest a backlog of titles that accumulated during regulatory changes implemented last year. For Nintendo and Tencent, these two approvals are an auspicious sign.