Mobile gaming is on the rise in Asia with massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMPORGs, leading the charge. Analysts say these games will grow rapidly in 2014 and beyond.
MMORPGs and related multi-player online games should reach more the $23 billion in revenue in 2014 in China, up from nearly $12 billion in 2013, according to Niko Partners, a leading research company. These revenue figures reflect the huge popularity and profitability of gamblingmentor.org. A single online game may have as many as 4,000 players during its run.
Other games that are popular include battle arena and fighting games, shooting games and role-playing contests. Better technology and more young players are fueling growth, according to Chinese officials. Mobile gaming, alone, rose almost 250 percent in 2013, officials said. China Internet Watch said 68 million people played interactive online games in 2013 in China and expected 141 million to play in 2014.
China is far from alone in Asia as far as growing interest in multi-player online gaming. Designers in other Asian nations are taking online formats and customizing them for their home markets. That means dubbing dialogue and changing avatars and costumes to reflect local sensibilities. Animation and even body language is tweaked so local players can be immersed in their own culture.
Gumi Asia Pte Ltd. of Singapore, a specialty unit of Jaan’s leading mobile gaming company Gumi Inc., provides local versions of Japanese games. CEO of Gumi Asia, David Ng, says players in Thailand and Vietnam like Chinese-type graphics while players in the Philippines like Western-type games. Indonesia’s players prefer a Chinese, Muslim, Christian mix.
Gaming growth in Asian nations reflects growth in China. Indonesia alone featured more than 20 million players, grew more than 25 percent in the last year and generated $88 million in 2013.
