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1.What is an online game and how does it differ from an offline game? |
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The electronic gaming industry is broadly divided into offline games and online games. Online games are those in which at least one component must be played through the internet. The main part of the game software operates on network servers where user data is stored; end users have no access to these servers. Although some offline games have network features that allow users to play on a peer to peer basis, through a local area network or a publisher’s server, user data is not stored on the servers. |
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2.How are online games classified? |
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Online games are broadly classified into three general categories: (1) Massively Multiplayer Online Games (Including Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, or MMORPGs); (2) Casual Online Games; and (3) Web Games. |
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3.What is an MMORPG? |
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An MMORPG, or massively multiplayer online role-playing game, allows thousands of users to interact with one another in a virtual world by assuming ongoing roles or characters with different features. The games are continuous and players accumulate features, advance in levels and communicate with one another through instant messaging. The interactive and group-oriented nature of our games creates a strong sense of community among users, and the large size of our user base contributes to user loyalty and helps to attract new users. |
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4.How many Internet users does China have? |
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According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), China has 110 million Internet users as of December 31, 2005. The number increased by 18.1% compared to a year earlier. Broadband users increased by 50.2% and account for 58% of the total Internet users. |
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5.What are the demographics of internet users? |
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According to the CNNIC, among 110 million Internet users in 2006: (1) male users accounted for 58.7% while female users accounted for 41.3%; (2) single users accounted for 57.9%, and married users accounted for 42.1%; (3) 16.6% of users were under 18 years old, 35.1% of the users were between 18 to 24 years old, 19.3% of the users were between 25 to 30 years old; and the remaining users were over the age of 30; (4) 54.3% of users’ monthly incomes were above 1,000 RMB while 45.7% were below 1,000 RMB. Also, according to iResearch, MMORPG gamers consisted of over 15.9 million people and casual gamers consisted of over 17.9 million people. |
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6.How many online gamers does China have? |
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According to iResearch, China had over 29 million online gamers in 2005. Online game players accounted for 26% of total Internet users and increased by 38% from the previous year. In 2006, there were 40 million gamers and the number is estimated to be over 80 million by 2010. |
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7. What kind of games do Chinese gamers like and play most often? |
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According to iResearch, more than 60% of online gamers have tried Chess, board games, or MMORPG’s. 30.7% of players chose MMORPG’s as the most often game played, which is the highest percentage among all online games. |
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8. How much time per week do users surf the Internet? |
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According to CNNIC, users spend an average of 15.9 hours every week surfing the Internet. |
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9. How much time do online gamers spend playing games per day? |
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According to iReaserch, online gamers spend an average of 6 hours every day playing online games. Players who play online games between 3 and 6 hours every day account for the highest percentage at 28.17%. |
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10.How much money do users spend per month surfing the Internet? |
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According to CNNIC, users spend an average of 103.6 RMB per month surfing the internet. |
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11.How much money do online gamers spend per month playing online games? |
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According to iResearch, online gamers spent an average of 188 RMB monthly on online games (including online fees). Players who spent between 81 and 120 RMB accounted for the highest percentage of gamers. |
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12.What is the scale of China’s online game industry and what will it be in the future? |
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In 2005, the scale of China’s online game industry reached 6.1 billion RMB, increasing 51% compared to the previous year. In 2006, the industry increased to over 7.8 Billion RMB and is projected to expand to well over 14.3 Billion by 2010. |
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