02132nas a2200133   4500000000100000008004100001100001600042700002200058700001700080245009700097856014200194490000700336520165500343                                       d1 aYixiang Que1 aTeresa de La Hera1 aJeroen Jansz00aDive Into the Past: Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Represented in Chinese Mobile Games  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85208443539&doi=10.17645%2fmac.8749&partnerID=40&md5=4b4c5a5b146b76b6d59e7b8e21777e330 v133 aThis study delves into the representation of intangible Chinese cultural heritage in Chinese mobile games. Nowadays, even with huge economic potential, Chinese mobile games are still faced with negative comments, especially from parents. To develop their reputation, Chinese mobile games have portrayed considerate Chinese intangible cultural heritage (ICH). The representation of cultural heritage in video games has been a subject of discussion for a long time, while console and computer games and tangible cultural heritage have been at the centre of academic studies. Hence, we strived to investigate how Chinese ICH is depicted in Chinese mobile games. A thematic analysis was conducted on data collected through analytical gameplay of 30 Chinese mobile games selected from Apple’s App Store and the Chinese TapTap platform. Our analysis indicates that Chinese ICH is represented in Chinese mobile games to fulfil the persona of game characters, to create a more engaging and immersive game world experience, to provide more intense combat moments, to offer visually enjoyable virtual goods, and to deliver culturally driven updates during traditional festivals. Among the various forms of Chinese ICH, Chinese traditional craftsmanship is found to be used most frequently because of the huge effort it requires to be mastered, which could be educational to players. Theatrical traditions were found to be depicted in most game elements because they combine visual, audio, and motional elements. Lastly, folk and classical literature is portrayed in Chinese mobile games to provide a narrative resource that culturally resonates with players.