China Loves its MMORPGs
In case you’ve never heard of it, there is this country called China and it is the most populous nation on the planet. So if you look at just that statement, this news story shouldn’t come as too much of a shock.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Cnzz.com, a data analysis firm based in Beijing, has predicted that by 2012 China will account for half of all online gaming. In dollars that translates to roughly $6billion.
Currently China makes up 27% of the online gaming market, with the US leading at 29%.
So what do Chinese gamers like to play online? Well six of the top ten most popular online games are MMORPGs, with World of Warcraft leading the pack. ( Then again, is gold farming really considered “playing?).
This story is not all that surprising to me for a few reasons. One, China has a lot of people and I don’t say that to be idiotic; China currently has 1.3 billion people. By sheer numbers alone that’s just a larger potential customer base to draw from.
Second, the country for all intensive purposes is experiencing its version of the industrial revolution in hyper speed. That tied with a capitalist economy in all but name has created a viable middle class in China.
Middle class people have expendable income and that my friends means leisure items. Enter Warcraft.
This may be a simplified break down, but the bottom line is that the Chinese economic juggernaut has set it’s sights on gaming.
Source : The Wall Street Journal via Massively
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