FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CHINA’S ONLINE GAME MARKET TO REACH $3.8 BILLION IN 2009
58 million Chinese Gamers Shield
the Industry from Global Economic Downturn
SAN JOSE, Calif. – May 5, 2009 – Niko Partners, the leading
market intelligence firm on China’s video
game industry, today announced results from its latest
report, citing $2.75 billion revenue in online
games in 2008, new online game market segments, continued
strength in illegal sales of game consoles,
and 23 million PCs in China’s 170,000 Internet cafés. The
firm predicts that the online game market will
enjoy a healthy CAGR of 26.4% over the next five years with
revenue to reach $8.9 billion in 2013.
“Average spending per Chinese gamer is rising to the point
where a 26% increase in gamers resulted in
61% more revenue for online games in 2008,” said Lisa Cosmas
Hanson, managing partner of Niko
Partners. “Niko’s conclusion is that China’s online market
has plenty of room for growth in the next five
years, and much of that growth will come from beyond the
major metropolises where the number of
Internet cafés, home PC penetration and Internet usage are
all on the rise.”
Other key insights from the report include:
-
Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) accounted for
77% of 2008 online games revenue,
with advanced casual and casual games making up the balance
of 23%.
- Webgames and games on social networking sites expanded the
casual game segment, offering
more games to new and casual gamers as well as to hardcore
gamers who play MMORPGs.
- Sales of next-generation game consoles continue to climb,
though entirely via illegal imports as
there has been a ban on consoles since 2000.
- By 2012 the number of online gamers should reach 119
million, a 17.7% CAGR.
The 2009 Annual Review & Five-Year Forecast Report on
China’s Video Game Industry by Niko Partners is
a thorough review and forecast of the 2008-2013 PC online,
PC offline, casual games, social networking
games, console, handheld games and hardware market. Based on
70,000 points of data collected by Niko
Partners in 10 Chinese cities in March 2009, the study
provides the largest and most comprehensive
information published on gamers, Internet cafés,
regulations, online game operators, games, hardware,
distribution, retail, outsourced development, and important
trends in supply and demand.
ABOUT NIKO PARTNERS
Niko Partners is the leading research firm focused on
providing specialized market intelligence on China’s
video game industry. Founded in 2003, the firm conducts
syndicated and custom research studies on
Chinese gamers, online games, offline games, consoles,
handhelds, regulatory issues, piracy,
development, online operators, distribution, and retail.
Niko Partners also offers consulting services
including focus groups, partnership selection, market
opportunity analysis, custom surveys in cities
throughout China and customized data analysis. The goal of
the research and strategic advisory services
is to help understand the market, strategically enter or
expand market share, and continue to profitably
grow within China. The company is based in Silicon Valley
and Shanghai, and its clients include worldwide
leaders in game software, hardware, and services, as well as
hedge funds, media companies, trade
associations, and management consulting firms, all of whom
have a vested interest in a thorough
understanding of China’s video game industry.
# # #
Contact:
Sean Kauppinen
International Digital Entertainment Agency
415-299-2156
sean@ide-agency.com
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