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Graphical upgrades en route for Age of Wushu
How do you feel about Age of Wushu's graphics? Do you think that they could really use an upgrade? It seems that they'll be getting one. Shi Hai, CEO of Snail Games, was recently interviewed in China, and a translation of that interview reveals that graphical upgrades are definitely in the works. While he declined to specify exactly what sort of upgrades would be coming, he did joke that the rumors about the Unreal 3 engine might well be true. Shi Hai also commented on the potential of a subscription server for Age of Wushu, noting that while several free-to-play games have dabbled with the idea, they seem to inevitably wind up going back to the free-to-play model in time. He stated that the company is currently focusing on porting the game to home consoles rather than exploring the possibility of any sort of subscription server. You can read a few more translated statements at MMOCulture.
Browser game market in China 'booming'
If you love to hate on browser-based MMOs and feel as though their time has passed, China might like to have a word or two with you. Sales of browser-based titles in the country have risen substantially in the past two years, increasing 46% in 2011 and 35% in 2012 according to a Taiwanese games company president, whereas client-based MMOs only made a 13% increase in growth in 2012. XPEC's Aaron Hsu said that the figures showed that browser games are far from finished in the region: "I'm not sure about the rest of the world, but the browser game market in mainland China is just booming. It's just like the MMORPG market in 2003, for China. I feel like the Chinese developers have created a new business model for browser games there." Due to the success of several lucrative browser games, Chinese developers are actively pursuing the browser -- not mobile -- platform. Hsu recommended that Western developers should concentrate on finding a Chinese publisher or partner to help ease into this different market instead of trying to break in solo.
EVE Online breaks the 450k subscriber mark
There are more people in New Eden trying to blow each other up than ever before, isn't that great? Between the recent launch of the Retribution expansion and a relaunch in China, EVE Online has accumulated more than 450,000 subscribers. EVE developer CCP partnered up with TianCity to bring the sandbox back into the Chinese market. According to a CCP press release, the game's business in China has surpassed expectations. EVE's community has grown steadily since its 2003 launch in spite of last year's heavy layoffs, and CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson says the company is looking forward to a "second decade of growth and prosperity for EVE." [Source: CCP press release]
Creative HanZpad hurdles FCC, will deliver ICS and quad-core goodness to China
Creative Labs might want to get some white gloves, because we recognized its fingerprints on the HanZPad, a Chinese tablet platform which just landed at the FCC. Using its own ZiiLABS division's ZMS-40 ICS optimized SoC (system on chip), the thinnish 7.95mm tab looks to have meaty specs with a quad-core ARM 1.5GHz processor, 1280 x 800 10-inch IPS display, 1GB RAM and microSD slot allowing up to 64GB of external storage. On top of Android 4.0 support, Creative will be developing its own OS for the device, which will be distributed through OEMs and its own channels. While currently tapped for the Chinese market, Creative's weighty US presence may suggest it'll eventually reach across the Pacific -- if it does, let's just hope it leaves the smudges behind.
ArcheAge to feature Chinese-themed city, additional content
XLGAMES' new fantasy sandbox is a big deal in its native Korea, of course, but it's also looking to turn a few heads in the Chinese market. ArcheAge has a strong presence at this week's Tencent media event, and XL has revealed that its devs are working on a new "main city" that features Chinese culture and architecture inspirations. Additional Chinese-themed content is coming in the "near future," according to MMO Culture, and it will include costumes, dungeons, maps, and events. ArcheAge recently closed the book on its fourth Korean closed beta test; XL's upcoming CBT5 phase will coincide with the first Chinese beta.
Blizzard and NetEase renew license deal for WoW in China
World of Warcraft may be bleeding subs in America thanks to newer competition, but don't tell that to Chinese publisher NetEase. The firm just renewed its licensing deal with Blizzard, which will cover localization and operation considers through 2015. NetEase operates WoW in mainland China (and has since 2009); it also handles Warcraft III, Starcraft II, and Battle.net distribution duties. GamesIndustry.biz notes that the deal was consumated "just ahead of the launch of the fourth WoW expansion, Mists of Pandaria, which is widely regarded as being designed with the Chinese market in mind."
RIFT in China: 'Biggest game deal ever' for a Western MMO
How big is RIFT? Big enough to attract one of China's heavyweight MMO houses, apparently. Trion has announced a partnership with publishing giant Shanda that will bring RIFT to the Chinese gaming market, and CEO Lars Buttler tells Gamasutra that expanding the game's global reach is only the beginning. "We do a lot right, but we think there's so much to learn from Asia, and a company like Shanda that has been in the market so long, and has innovated in so many ways, is a great partner to work with and learn from," Buttler says. Trion is flexing its muscles -- and broadening its horizons -- on the strength of a banner year that included a hefty influx of investment capital as well as RIFT's $100 million revenue windfall. Trion is also developing an MMORTS called End of Nations and an MMO shooter called Defiance. Additionally, the firm is fleshing out its Red Door program, which will outsource its development platform and distribution channels to third-parties.
Shanda Games going back to private ownership
If you've been following development on Eligium, you're probably at least passingly familiar with the name Shanda Games. You'd be more familiar with it in China, since the company also operates a variety of games from other markets, including Aion, MapleStory, and Dungeons & Dragons Online. And after having a record-breaking quarter, the company is moving in the opposite direction of what you might expect from a successful company: It's going private. The requisite stocks were purchased by a single family, so the company moving out of the public market. All shares will be jointly purchased by a parent company headed by Shanda's CEO, Shanda's COO (the CEO's son), and the company director (the CEO's wife). A $180 million loan was taken out to ensure that the stocks could be traded, with the purchasers buying shares at a higher price to help ensure the transfer. The board of directors has already approved this move, which means that it should go through without a hitch before the first quarter of 2012.
Globex Studios hires Jason Bell to oversee development of Secret Kingdoms Online
There are a lot of growing markets in the MMO field at the moment, and one of those is indisputably the Chinese free-to-play market. Globex Studios is taking aim at precisely that demographic with its upcoming game Secret Kingdoms Online, with the company operating in both Chinese and North American territories simultaneously. In hopes of bolstering its expertise on managing the development and release of the game, Globex has hired Jason Bell as the new Executive Vice President of Products. Bell has served in the management of several MMOs, most recently at Turbine Entertainment managing Asheron's Call. The announced game certainly looks rather involved on paper, with the game focusing upon players taking the reins of fantastical mounts in a distinct and family-friendly landscape. Whether or not Secret Kingdoms Online is the game that will bridge the gap between the American and Chinese markets remains to be seen, but Globex is certainly aiming high to start.
Burnout: Report says Chinese gamers losing interest in MMOs
Is there a point at which oversaturation, cultural prominence and old habits collapse under their own weight? According to a recent survey by Chinese market analyst Niko Partners, trends are shifting away in China from hardcore MMO gaming to more casual fare like social networking games. GamesIndustry.biz reports that self-defined "hardcore" gamers in one of the largest MMORPG markets in the world have grown tired of the thousands of carbon-copy MMOs out there and have rebelled against the monotony by taking their business elsewhere. Niko Partners' Lisa Cosmas Hanson sees a pattern to this trend: "We believe that the Chinese market has taken up SNS (social networking site) gaming in earnest, and that the hardcore gamers have shifted their preferences to include these games alongside the casual gamers who naturally appreciate them. The hardcore gamers are growing weary of the monotony of themes in the Chinese MMORPGs, and they want to extend their social interactions to games that attract a more diverse user base." By 2014, the analyst says that there will be 141 million online gamers in China, and the casual games market will grow from 23% to encompass 30% of all online revenues -- approximately $3 billion US.
Final Fantasy XIV, like Nixon, can in fact go to China
The Chinese market for MMOs is immense, but it's also a market that's proven remarkably resistant to foreign intrusion. (We don't need to recount the whole saga of World of Warcraft over there.) But in addition to launching nearly everywhere else, it looks as if Final Fantasy XIV will also be going into the Chinese market in a partnership with Shanda Games Limited. This comes after Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada had mentioned a year ago that the company wished to pursue business partnerships with companies inside mainland China. Shanda Games Limited will most likely be operating the servers for the game, which will remain separate from the "normal" servers -- the only region-locked servers that the game is currently set to have, as a point of fact. There's no word on when the game will launch, either, simply that it is in the pipeline for release thanks to the new partnership. The rest of the world, of course, will get to start enjoying Final Fantasy XIV on the 30th (or the 22nd with the collector's edition). [Thanks to FusionX for the tip!]
iPad moves closer to sale in China
On Monday, the iPad moved one small step closer to the Chinese market when it received the China Compulsory Certification from the China Quality Certification Center. Other certifications will be necessary, but this important first step has been taken. The Chinese government will ultimately determine if and when the device is sold. Before that happens, it will be subject to other regulating bodies like China's Telecommunications Equipment and Certification Center. Liu Liang with the consulting group iResearch suggests that the iPad would sell well in China, despite competition from other devices. "The iPad is a top tier device," he said, "and the Apple brand has a great deal of influence among consumers." You'll remember the trouble Apple had before bringing the iPhone to the Chinese market. Initially, wireless devices were required to use China's own WAPI standard, a measure that was relaxed earlier this year, when devices were allowed to have both WAPI and Wi-Fi. Since then, the iPhone has gone on to sell very well. Apple has not announced formal plans to sell the iPad in China, but (slow) progress is being made. Here's hoping our friends in China can get their hands on iPads soon.
Korean game companies losing dominance over Chinese market
PlayNoEvil posted an article in response to a story from Korean newspaper The Digital Chosunilbo, that states that Korea no longer has a stranglehold on China's online gaming market. In fact, Korea now only holds 10 percent of that market. The newspaper story is based on a report from the Korean Embassy, which found that the Chinese online game industry is now worth 10 billion yuan (greater than US$1.3 billion) and Korea's share in this delicious pie has greatly diminished. But why is this the case? The embassy thinks it is due to three things: a failure to deal with Chinese piracy, mistakenly thinking of Chinese collaborators as subcontractors rather than business partners, and the strongest reason, a lack of good new games.PlayNoEvil adds their own fourth reason -- terrible product support -- saying that the recent coverage of game launches has been disappointing and even the Korean online gaming trade show, G-star, was passed over by some of the bigger publishers this year, and simply did not make as big a splash as it used to. So are we witnessing the demise of Korea as king of online gaming, or can they turn it all around with some excellent new titles?
