ICP filing
A Chinese government registration required for any website or app published from a Mainland China business entity. Required for WeChat Mini Game publishing.
ICP (Internet Content Provider) filing is the Chinese state-required registration tying online content to a Mainland Chinese business entity with a verified business license. It is administered through the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Without ICP filing, WeChat Mini Programs and Mini Games cannot be published to Mainland Chinese audiences.
For foreign game studios, ICP is the primary blocker to direct WeChat Mini Game publishing. The standard workaround is a Mainland publishing partner: a Chinese-licensed entity that holds the ICP and publishes the studio's title under a co-publishing or licensing arrangement.
Some casual MiniApp games escape strict version-number (版号) review, but ICP filing is non-negotiable. Hangar's WeChat track surfaces publishing-partner relationships for studios without a Mainland entity.
Related terms.
A MiniApp game inside WeChat Mini Programs. Runs on a custom JavaScript engine with native canvas API and a 4MB initial bundle limit.
An app that runs inside a SuperApp without a separate app-store install. Players or users launch it from a chat, a contact, or a channel.
A messaging or social app that has expanded into a multi-purpose platform hosting payments, mini-apps, games, identity, and commerce inside ...