"In this quarter, our overseas game revenue accounted for more than 10 percent of total game revenue for the first time," said Ding Lei, CEO of Netease, following the internet giant releasing its third-quarter financial report on Nov 15.

The data seems to showcase market expansion behavior NetEase has embraced by globalizing its internet gaming industry. And the company is not alone.

The Chinese internet game industry has developed rapidly, and many hit games are winning more players from overseas. Going by the numbers, from online user bases to downloads and total revenue, domestic internet gaming has done an impressive job in recent years.

The "China Game Industry Report 2018 (January to June)" shows China's self-developed online games sales revenue reached $4.63 billion in the first half of this year, a year-on-year increase of 16 percent. And 243 domestic internet games have received more than $1 million revenue so far.

More importantly, the gaming industry, as a new cultural symbol in China, has driven more overseas players to participate in e-sports, while allowing Chinese cultural elements to shine on the world stage at the same time.

"Donghuang Taiyi," a mythical figure in a 2,300-year-old poem, has now taken on the image of a broad-shouldered tall man donning a large antler-like crown and wearing a wide-sleeved robe, thanks to Glory of the King, a multiplayer online game produced by China's internet giant Tencent. The game has accumulated over 200 million users both at home and abroad.

Glory of the King is embedded with many traditional cultural elements. Players can choose game roles with mythical and historical figures as archetypes and in-game skills based on historical events, with sound effects such as chants of ancient Chinese poems.

"This game is not only entertainment. I also learned something new about traditional figures and historic events that I never heard of before," said Zhang Chenguang, an undergraduate from a Beijing-based university and a loyal fan of the game.

The Legend of Heluo Heroes, an online martial arts and adventure game produced by Heluo Studio, has integrated China's renowned scenic areas, customs and historic events into a game setting.

"The game opened up a new way for me to know China. And I am more interested in Chinese traditional culture," said Lennon Kris, a 12-year-old German boy at Gamescom 2018, adding he was impressed by China's martial arts, Chinese classical art and traditional music.

Young people want to learn about traditional culture but have not had a flexible, accessible approach before, said Luo Shixian, PR director for Tencent's entertainment sector.

"We need to use new media catered to the youth, such as online literature, animation, music and games, to develop traditional culture," Luo said. "Traditional culture is the soul of our cultural industry, which in return pushes forward the inheritance and development of traditional culture."

For domestic internet gaming, achievements are interconnected with challenges. "Some internet game producers lack sufficient understanding in overseas players' habits and cultural taboos, and the local legal systems as well, which have set some boundaries for domestic games," said Duan Wei, CEO and founder of Mobvista.

He also called for Chinese internet game companies to conduct more exchanges with one another, with a view to doing even better in overseas market operations.

Xinhua contributed to the story