Bilibili's Gaming Event Achieves 45 Million Livestream Viewers

Bilibili's BILIBILI MACRO LINK-PLAY! 2026 (BML2026) event concluded on July 12, setting a record with a peak livestream audience of 45 million viewers. Held at the Hong Arena in Shanghai, the gathering was the first to bring together China's prominent anime-style game franchises, including Honkai: Star Rail, Azur Lane, and Genshin Impact, onto a single stage.

Now in its 14th year, the BML event has evolved from Bilibili's community culture into one of China's major ACGN (Anime, Comic, Game, Novel) concerts. This year's BML-PLAY! initiative focused on Chinese anime-style games, featuring seven leading titles. This represents a significant shift for the gaming industry, where these franchises traditionally operate within separate communities.

BML2026 generated substantial fan engagement, with over 110,000 users pre-registering for tickets on Bilibili before sales opened and tickets selling out rapidly. The simultaneous livestream attracted a peak viewership of 45 million. The event's finale, "LINK START!", featured a symphonic suite blending music from all seven participating games.

The success of BML2026 highlights the growing influence of ACGN culture and the desire for fans to connect through shared passions. For game franchises, such live productions offer a valuable avenue for expanding reach and creating value beyond their original content, positioning Bilibili's community-driven model for continued attention.