Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Chinese apps and games dominating the West makes me feel like a Soviet citizen in 1991 watching Coca-Cola and McDonald's ads pop up everywhere.

We are truly in China's century.



If we're talking about nearly anywhere else in the world, American culture dominates. If you're talking about influences on America, Japanese culture has had (and continues to have) a much bigger impact.

I just don't see Chinese media "popping up everywhere." Chinese media is poorly translated or culturally impenetrable to Western audiences. I say this as someone reading a Cixin Liu book right now and really enjoying it - even so I recognize that it's niche and the translation is rough. I don't think I've ever seen a Chinese movie and I can think of exactly one Chinese pop song that got popular in recent years (made by a Chinese-American in America, of course). America created or popularized rap, hip-hop, country, most pop music, esports, and many regular sports. American companies made Digg, Myspace, Napster, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitter, and a plethora of other popular apps and products.

But because China made TikTok/Douyin/Genshin it's suddenly "China's century"? TikTok is a Vine clone. Genshin's artstyle, stories, and game mechanics are ripped straight from Japanese games. The genre of gatcha is Japanese!


Are they really? There are a few popular mobile games, but mostly predatory skinner boxes at high risk of regulation.

Translations of Chinese books/films/comics are still consistently awful.


Chinese media in general definitely making a larger footprint. In seeing literature as well as TV shows and movies becoming more known.

I am half wondering if I ought to be learning mandarin now.




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: