2026-11-02

Hongguo ends coins for new users, WeChat sets a 45-second episode minimum: what short-drama writers and producers should change this week (Nov 1–4)

Hongguo announced on October 21 that it will phase out its watch-to-earn coins: users who activate the app from November 1 get no coin feature, and coins stop for everyone by December 31. WeChat said on October 29 that from November 4 the minimum length for a short-drama episode rises from 30 to 45 seconds, and shorter episodes will fail review. Teams supplying Hongguo should rethink how new viewers will behave, and teams publishing short dramas on WeChat need to check episodes awaiting review before Wednesday. We could not reach WeChat's original notice publicly and rely on two full-text reproductions; there are no public figures yet on how removing coins will affect watch time or revenue shares.