China online game companies plan US games

22.01.2010
China's biggest online game companies are increasingly looking to offer games in the U.S., bringing with them a game model where users play for free but must pay to get certain power-ups for their characters.

Companies like Shanda Games, Perfect World and Changyou.com have tapped China's huge pool of young Internet users with their games and raked in revenue from sales of virtual items. Players pay real-world cash for items like powerful magic weapons that help them defeat enemies, or for virtual clothing or pets to refine their online image.

Many popular online games in China draw on well-known cultural themes like martial arts or the wars of the nation's ancient Three Kingdoms era. But China's game companies face a new culture, different user preferences and competition from market leaders like Activision Blizzard as they work to expand in the U.S.

"All of them are looking to figure out how they can move beyond China, either by licensing their games to overseas operators or by opening overseas offices of their own," said Mark Natkin, managing director of Marbridge Consulting in Beijing.

Online games are a major industry in China, which has more Internet users, at 384 million, than the U.S. has people. Over 100 million Chinese played online games last year, according to local consultancy Analysys International. Imported games like World of Warcraft are widely played alongside Chinese games.

Shanda Games drew eyes last week by unveiling plans to acquire Mochi Media, a U.S.-based game network that Shanda says will distribute its games worldwide. Shanda, which like Changyou and Perfect World has raised funds by listing its stock in the U.S., will dish out US$80 million in the acquisition.