A poster of the game Photo: Official Weibo account of "Travel Frog: China Journey"

The Chinese version of a mobile game, "Travel Frog: China Journey," will shut down in December because its Japanese IP rights holder reportedly "proposed stringent terms" during renewal negotiations, according to Nandu N Video by the Southern Metropolis Daily on Wednesday. 
 
The game's official account announced via Sina Weibo on Tuesday that the game will officially shut down on December 8. 

"Travel Frog" is a casual idle game developed by Japanese game company Hit-Point. After entering the Chinese market in early 2018, it quickly became a social media sensation.

The decision to shut down the game was made because the IP licensing agreement had expired, while the direct reason for not renewing it was that the two sides failed to reach an agreement, said a source close to the game's Chinese operator, Alibaba's Lingxi Interactive Entertainment. 
 
During the renewal negotiations, the Japanese IP rights holder proposed more stringent terms than those under the previous agreement, while also restricting Lingxi's ability to carry out normal operations, including collaborations and merchandise-related services. Despite multiple rounds of communication and efforts by Lingxi to negotiate and seek a solution, the other party maintained a firm stance, the source said, Nandu N Video reported.

As of Wednesday, Lingxi has not given up on negotiations. It has made every effort to reach a final agreement with the IP rights holder while exploring all feasible solutions in parallel, according to the source.
 
Many game players have expressed their regret on Weibo. 

"From being a mini program on Taobao to becoming a standalone app, and now hearing the news that it is shutting down, I have such mixed feelings. It feels like watching a child grow up and leave home, knowing that they will never come back," a user from Tianjin said. 
 
"I've really been raising this little frog all these years, checking on him every single day. He kept me company at work and through so many boring, difficult and happy moments. I'm honestly about to cry. If this isn't a part of my youth, then what is?" said a user from North China's Hebei Province. 

After the game servers are shut down, all game-related account data and character information stored on the servers will be permanently deleted, the game's official account announced. 

As for refunds, players can apply through the officially designated channels for a refund of any unused virtual currency in the game before December 8, 2026.