When Tencent received its first game approval in China in more than a year last week, there were neither great expectations among investors nor keen anticipation from players that another blockbuster title was on the way.

The tech giant admitted that Defence of Health is a tame educational affair compared with big moneymaking hits such as Honour of Kings. Tencent said at its annual game release event in 2021 that the game would be part of its “social service”, using it to “promote public health knowledge” and “explore more positive social values”.

Developed by little-known subsidiary Nanjing Wangdian Technology, controlled by Tencent executives including co-founder Pony Ma, the new mobile game was one of 73 approved by the National Press and Publication Administration, in the fifth batch of licences granted this year.