NetEase recently invested in one of Genshin Impact's art outsourcing studios, Star Painters, acquiring a 9.74% stake.
The information shows that NetEase has become a new foreign corporate entity
Star Painters was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Wuhan, China. Star Painters' main business includes developing AR/VR educational games and game art production. As of now, the studio has more than 300 employees.
Star Painters was involved in the art creation of HoYoverse's Genshin Impact and was also an early partner of NetEase Games. They have worked together on games such as Onmyoji, Minecraft Mobile, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, and Identity. Their partnerships include original art design, 3D modeling, and motion effects.
In addition, Star Painters has its own R & D department and rich experience in VR/AR game development. The studio used to collaborate with Chinese museums to launch VR interactive games of some national treasures, including the famous Sword of Goujian and Chime bells of Marquis Yi.
This is only the second game development company NetEase has invested in 2022. Leading game companies in China, such as NetEase, are now shifting their investments to overseas markets due to China's game license policy and the overall decline in the gaming industry caused by the pandemic.
Source: Weibo