Overview
The PlayStation China Hero Project is a mentoring and support initiative run by Sony Interactive Entertainment Shanghai. The program identifies Chinese game developers and provides development, publishing, and marketing support to help them reach a global audience. CangMo Game Entertainment joined the program in July 2024 with A Whisper of Fall: Jinyiwei.
History
The program launched in 2016, two years after China reversed its console ban in 2014, and is overseen by SIE Shanghai under Bao Bo. Phase 1 was announced in March 2017 with 10 titles selected from over 400 applications, including F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch and Lost Soul Aside. Phase 2 followed on March 7, 2019 with 7 new titles, though progress stalled due to COVID-19. Phase 3 was announced in November 2022, with Bao Bo declaring its scale would "far exceed the previous two," and each game receiving at least RMB 1 million (roughly USD 140,000) in free resources.
Phase 4 launched on July 31, 2025 at ChinaJoy 2025 in Shanghai. It represents a strategic shift from small indie studios to backing medium- to large-sized teams pursuing globally competitive titles. Enhanced support includes Virtuos co-development on select titles, PlayStation Visual Arts studio assisting with UI/UX evaluation, and RichTap advanced haptic feedback integration.
Support and partners
PlayStation's Shanghai-based production team guides each selected studio. Partner companies provide additional resources.
Epic Games: Unreal Engine technical support
CRIWARE: Middleware solutions
Digital Hearts: Quality assurance testing
Vanguard Sound / Sound Machine: Audio production
Virtuos: Game development assistance
Richtap: Haptic vibration technology
Each game in Phase 3 and later receives at least 1 million yuan in support.
Notable released games
Previous China Hero Project titles that have reached release include F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch, ANNO: Mutationem, Hardcore Mecha, Lost Soul Aside, and AI Limit.
Jinyiwei in the program
CangMo Game Entertainment joined the China Hero Project on July 25, 2024, announcing the game (then titled Project: Jinyiwei) through Weibo and Bilibili. The game was playable at ChinaJoy 2024 in Shanghai from July 26-29, with a dedicated stage event on PlayStation Shanghai's stage on July 28. A 15-minute gameplay demo showed city exploration and a boss battle.
The program's support is one reason the game is a PS5 console exclusive (also releasing on PC). Being part of the China Hero Project gives CangMo access to Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 support and PlayStation's production guidance.