Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Report: 64% of Chinese gamers spend money on online games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/report-64-of-chinese-gamers-spend-money-on-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/report-64-of-chinese-gamers-spend-money-on-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/report-64-of-chinese-gamers-spend-money-on-online-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Chinese gamer
Gaming in China is serious business, especially once you consider that a strong majority of players dish out money to support their habit every month. Analyst group Niko Partners polled 500 Chinese gamers and found that 64% of them dropped money on online titles monthly, including many free-to-play and MMO games. Considering that China has 180 million players and a $5.8 billion gaming market, the country continues to be watched closely as a major economic force in the online realm.

And while MMOs still account for a good portion of the income, they've lost some ground to other types of games, according to Niko Partners Managing Partner Lisa Cosmas Hanson. "Online games revenues are now more distributed among various platforms and genres than they have been in past years, when MMORPGs compiled the vast majority of domestic revenue," she said.

Other interesting details from this report include the news that players are spending less time per week on games and that one in 10 players in the country is over 40 years of age.

MassivelyReport: 64% of Chinese gamers spend money on online games originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystanalyst-groupanalystschinachinesechinese-gamerchinese-gamersf2pfree-to-playLisa-Cosmas-Hansonmoneynikoniko-partnersonline-spendingreportrevenuespendingTue, 03 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China and Korea partner to form a $46M investment fund for game developers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/27/china-and-korea-partner-to-form-a-46m-investment-fund-for-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/27/china-and-korea-partner-to-form-a-46m-investment-fund-for-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/27/china-and-korea-partner-to-form-a-46m-investment-fund-for-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Three Kingdoms Online
It may seem like a case of strange bedfellows -- China and South Korea aren't exactly buddy-buddy -- but through the magic of gaming, the two countries are growing closer than ever before. Recently, Chinese company Kunlun announced that it's partnering with the Korean government to whip up a $46 million investment fund for game developers.

Kunlun is a major player in China, claiming a respective 20% of the market in the country with over $187 million in sales last year, enough to take second place. The company owns Koramgame, an MMO publisher that's made inroads with both the Chinese and Korean markets with titles like Three Kingdoms Online and Dynasty Saga. Koramgame already has over two million subscribers worldwide.

Koramgame's Joe Zhou hopes that it'll capture a slice of the American pie, too: "We are catching more and more attention from North American gamers now."

MassivelyChina and Korea partner to form a $46M investment fund for game developers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachinesedynasty-sagagame-developersinvestment-fundJoe-Zhoukoramgamekoreakoreankunlunsouth-koreasouth-korean-governmentthree-kingdoms-onlineSat, 27 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wizard101 voyaging to China]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/wizard101-voyaging-to-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/wizard101-voyaging-to-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/wizard101-voyaging-to-china/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wizard 101 beach
Never underestimate the power of magic or kids accessing their parents' wallets. That's what we've learned from KingsIsle over the past few years, as its Wizard101 has grown into a powerhouse slugger that knocks down barriers of all types: age, social groups, and most importantly for the accounting department, world regions.

Today we've learned that KingsIsle has struck a deal with Taomee Holdings Limited to bring Wizard101 to China, and in so doing greatly expand the game's market. Taomee specializes in online gaming that's angled for children, so this seems like a perfect match. Chinese players should see a localized version of Wizard101 sometime next year.

KingsIsle also says that Wizard101's website netted over 13 million unique visitors during the month of July, a strong indication of just how big this game has grown.

MassivelyWizard101 voyaging to China originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>13-millionasiabarrierschinachinesechinese-playersexpandexpandingf2pfree-to-playkingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlocalizationmarketorientregional-marketstaomeeTaomee-Holdings-Limitedwizard101Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[War of Legends celebrates Chinese new year with prizes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/war-of-legends-celebrates-chinese-new-year-with-prizes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/war-of-legends-celebrates-chinese-new-year-with-prizes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/war-of-legends-celebrates-chinese-new-year-with-prizes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Game developer Jagex is perhaps best known for its popular browser MMO RuneScape, which is still going strong after over 10 years of development. Just over a year ago, the company made a move into the MMORTS market with its free-to-play browser game War of Legends. Last month, the game celebrated its first anniversary by giving players a free birthday cake filled with items to speed up construction, resource gathering and other parts of the game. With that celebration barely over, War of Legends has launched head-first into yet another event with the Chinese New Year.

As War of Legends is based heavily on ancient Chinese mythology, the Chinese New Year is a big time of year for the game. In keeping with a traditional Chinese theme, Jagex will be giving away red envelopes containing prizes to players every day for the next two weeks. Each envelope contains in-game items valued by the company at up to $20 US, and players have the opportunity to find more prizes by invading the Wildlands during the two-week celebration period. For those players who want something simpler, Jagex will also be running some limited-time daily tasks during the Chinese New Year with a variety of helpful rewards.

MassivelyWar of Legends celebrates Chinese new year with prizes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachinesechinese-new-yeareventjagexjagex-game-studiosnew-yearwar-of-legendsThu, 03 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Burnout: Report says Chinese gamers losing interest in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/burnout-report-says-chinese-gamers-losing-interest-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/burnout-report-says-chinese-gamers-losing-interest-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/burnout-report-says-chinese-gamers-losing-interest-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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.

MassivelyBurnout: Report says Chinese gamers losing interest in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burnoutcasualcasual-gameschinachinesechinese-marketfacebookGamesindustry.bizhardcoreniko-partnersover-saturationsnssocial-networkingwhat-me-worryWed, 06 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP responds to rumour of server merger with EVE China]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/ccp-responds-to-rumour-of-server-merger-with-eve-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/ccp-responds-to-rumour-of-server-merger-with-eve-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/ccp-responds-to-rumour-of-server-merger-with-eve-china/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back in 2006, CCP Games decided to move EVE Online into the Chinese MMO market. To comply with China's strict laws regarding online gaming, a second server named Serenity was created. Although the game itself is the same, Serenity doesn't really interact with EVE's main game server. The people over at mmosite today reported that CCP Games had announced plans to merge the two servers. They pointed to a talk given by CCP's CEO Hilmar Petursson at the recent Chinese Game Developers Conference, asserting that Hilmar discussed the company's plans to "connect the Chinese server of EVE Online with its world server."

This news came as a bit of a shock, as the Chinese gaming laws which necessitated a separate game server are still in place. We contacted CCP for more information, who promptly informed us that they are not planning to merge the two servers, and that the writer at mmosite had likely misunderstood what Hilmar said during his talk. Hilmar issued us with the following statement:

"Ever since the Chinese version of EVE Online was announced at EVE Fanfest 2005 then CCP has consistently stated that according to CCP's design philosophy and single shard one world strategy then it would make sense to merge the two servers at some point in the future. Currently this is not possible, for various reasons and we have no current plans to do this merger as a results of those reasons. We will continue to communicate our vision and aspirations regardless."

MassivelyCCP responds to rumour of server merger with EVE China originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameschinachineseeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinemergemergesserenityserverserver-mergeserver-mergesserversThu, 05 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Europe '09: Igg.com debuts Dreamland Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/gdc-europe-09-igg-com-debuts-dreamland-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/gdc-europe-09-igg-com-debuts-dreamland-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/gdc-europe-09-igg-com-debuts-dreamland-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Looks like IGG.com, now penned as "I Got Games," is adding another free-to-play MMO to their portfolio -- Dreamland Online.

Dreamland is a side scrolling 3d rendered MMO with enough sugary cuteness to bake 20 cakes and have enough sugar left over to give to your neighbor. The game is currently hiding behind closed doors until the third test of the Chinese client. After that testing phase is complete, IGG.com will be releasing the alpha test of the English language client. So until it comes out in China, looks like we're all stuck waiting for more information.

Dreamland Online will be making its debut in American and European markets this fall. Until then, you're just going to have to do with these small glimpses into the game, or you could always go jump in on the forum discussions!

Gallery: Dreamland Online

MassivelyGDC Europe '09: Igg.com debuts Dreamland Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-testamericanchinesechinese-clientclosed-alphadreamlanddreamland-onlineeuropeangdc-europe-2009i-got-gamesigg.comWed, 19 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China investigating potential World of Warcraft upset, may ban game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/china-investigating-potential-world-of-warcraft-upset-may-ban-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/china-investigating-potential-world-of-warcraft-upset-may-ban-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/china-investigating-potential-world-of-warcraft-upset-may-ban-g/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Blizzard and World of Warcraft have been having some trouble as of late in China, but this piece of news seems much more foreboding that anything that came before it. Apparently, an anonymous insider says China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) has assigned Shanghai's News and Press Bureau to investigate a joint venture established by NetEase and Blizzard. Not too long ago, NetEase became the new benefactor of licensing rights for World of Warcraft, but GAPP thinks the deal aims to break Chinese law.

China is very clear when it comes to foreign companies operating online games domestically through a joint venture or sole investment -- they do not tolerate it. Without argument, GAPP approval is required for any foreign online games. If they find that the NetEase and Blizzard deal aimed to operate as a joint venture, thus allowing Blizzard more control of their MMO in China, things could become bad for the two companies.

Without GAPP approval, World of Warcraft cannot be displayed publicly, traded or promoted. If a company were to attempt such a thing without approval, GAPP has said they will shoulder legal responsiblities. Assuming that were to happen, it could become very difficult for Blizzard to find a Chinese distributor for World of Warcraft. Considering the massive amounts of players who live in China, 11 million subscribers could be easily halved in the worst case scenario.

[Thanks, ScytheNoire!]

MassivelyChina investigating potential World of Warcraft upset, may ban game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbanblizzardbreakingchinachineseneteaserightsthe9world-of-warcraftwowTue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Martial arts and robots MMO Titan Online goes open beta this month]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/15/martial-arts-and-robots-mmo-titan-online-goes-open-beta-this-mon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/15/martial-arts-and-robots-mmo-titan-online-goes-open-beta-this-mon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/15/martial-arts-and-robots-mmo-titan-online-goes-open-beta-this-mon/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Korean MMO developer EYA Interactive has announced that their game Titan Online will enter open beta for its international version on April 28th. Massively had a look at Titan Online at GDC 2009, a game that EYA Interactive explains as "an epic title based on traditional Asian culture... a fusion MMORPG that boasts a unique combination of martial arts and robots that takes place in a spectacular fantasy world."

Gamers interested in getting in on the open beta can sign up at the Titan Global Site. EYA Interactive has also stated they will allow players to keep their existing open beta characters once the game goes live, with no account wipes from open beta onwards.

[Via Worlds in Motion]

Gallery: GDC09: Titan Online

MassivelyMartial arts and robots MMO Titan Online goes open beta this month originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiabetabetaschinachineseeya-interactivef2pfree-to-playgdc-2009koreamartial-artsopen-betarobotstitan-onlineWed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China to impose real-name registration for online games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/17/china-to-impose-real-name-registration-for-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/17/china-to-impose-real-name-registration-for-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/17/china-to-impose-real-name-registration-for-online-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Chinese government takes games seriously. More specifically, they view games as something that must be tightly regulated. Given how many young people in China spend hours every day in Internet cafes, the government has a system in place that -- they claim -- limits the amount of time a given person can play online games. However, kids in China have easily found ways to game this system, according to IncGamers.

The Chinese Government's next step is to implement a real name registration system in 2009, which would link game accounts with a given person's ID number. The concept seems to be less about taking anonymity away from gamers than it is about preventing them from finding ways of racking up ludicrous amounts of play time, something that the Chinese government believes is a growing problem that must be curbed.

MassivelyChina to impose real-name registration for online games originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachinesechinese-governmentreal-name-registrationregistrationSat, 17 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA licenses Dungeon Keeper MMO, for China]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/ea-licenses-dungeon-keeper-mmo-for-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/ea-licenses-dungeon-keeper-mmo-for-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/ea-licenses-dungeon-keeper-mmo-for-china/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


"So I've got a great idea!" says executive Bob at Electronic Arts, "Lets license out the Dungeon Keeper property for an MMORPG!" John, who happens to be a puppet on Bob's hand, says, "That's a brilliant idea, old chap!" The apparently British imaginary friend makes an awkward smile. Bob continues, "We'll give it to a Chinese developer who can release it all over the Asian markets." John the British puppet responds, "Wonderful, will you bring it to Western markets?" Bob replies with, "Who cares?" and they both laugh -- at least in Bob's twisted mind.

This is honestly the only sequence of events that, in our minds, makes sense when considering the fact that Electronic Arts has licensed out the Dungeon Keeper property as an MMO to Chinese-based developer NetDragon Websoft with the intent to eventually bring it overseas. While we're sure it'll do fine in the eastern markets, it just baffles the mind to think that EA is taking an RTS title originally designed for the west -- the original game was steeped in British humor -- and having an eastern developer create an MMO out of it that will more than likely appeal primarily to easterners only.

MassivelyEA licenses Dungeon Keeper MMO, for China originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingchinachinesedungeon-keeperdungeon-keeper-mmoeaelectronic-artsnetdragonnetdragon-websoftMon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Perfect World International beta test opens up to pretty much everyone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/perfect-world-international-beta-test-opens-up-to-pretty-much-ev/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/perfect-world-international-beta-test-opens-up-to-pretty-much-ev/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/perfect-world-international-beta-test-opens-up-to-pretty-much-ev/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Perfect World International, the English-language version of the popular Chinese MMO of the same name sans "International" and plus a "2," has moved into its open beta testing phase. The beta test features two servers -- one PvE and one PvP -- and characters created in the testing period will be kept through the live launch of the game.

Like most Chinese games, PWI is a microtransaction-based MMO, but it was originally slated to be a subscription-based game. It got all the subscription-based-game-type triple-A graphics and game design treatment, so it should appeal to Western users more than most Eastern free-to-play games. At least, that's the company line.

Features include mounts, marriage, PvP territory wars, and pretty much every other staple, all in a Chinese mythology setting. It's been in closed beta testing for only a few weeks. There's no official word on the live date for the post-beta version yet.

[Via 1UP]

MassivelyPerfect World International beta test opens up to pretty much everyone originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chineseclosed-betaf2pfree-to-playlaunchmicrotransactionsmythologyopen-betaperfect-worldperfect-world-2perfect-world-iiperfect-world-internationalsubscriptionstestSun, 07 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Kung Fu to launch August 1st]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/world-of-kung-fu-to-launch-august-1st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/world-of-kung-fu-to-launch-august-1st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/world-of-kung-fu-to-launch-august-1st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The team at World of Kung Fu have sent word that their free-to-play martial arts MMO will officially launch on the 1st of August, a mere week from now. To prepare for the launch, a new patch has gone in today that expands the game's playable area by 25%, with 8 additional areas to explore. The patch also features new quests and an increase to the level cap, and an extra server has been added to accommodate newcomers.

We're sure that many of you haven't seen this title in action yet, so we've embedded a short gameplay clip from Youtube. The game strongly adheres to its ancient Chinese setting, and players must specialize in particular weapon styles such as Spear, Hook, and Broadsword, and hone their Kung Fu while traveling through Zhong Guo (better known in the western world as China). With the release of the latest patch, and the launch next week, this might be a nice title to check out -- especially for those WAR-waiters and AoC-leavers.

MassivelyWorld of Kung Fu to launch August 1st originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancient-chinesechinesekung-fulaunchmartial-artspatchwokfworld-of-kung-fuzhong-guoWed, 23 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese MMO distributor gains new Chief Financial Officer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/chinese-mmo-distributor-gains-new-chief-financial-officer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/chinese-mmo-distributor-gains-new-chief-financial-officer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/chinese-mmo-distributor-gains-new-chief-financial-officer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's been a recent personnel change to China's leading distributor of online gaming. The9 Limited has recently appointed Mr. George Lai as Chief Financial Officer after the resignation of Mr. Tony Tse, due to personal and family reasons. Mr. Lai brings several years of experience to the table, having worked previously at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu since 2000.

The9 Limited operates licensed MMORPGs for Chinese players, including World of Warcraft, Hellgate: London, Ragnarok Online 2, Huxley and many more. The9 Limited is also developing various proprietary games of their own including Warriors of Fate Online and Fantastic Melody Online.

MassivelyChinese MMO distributor gains new Chief Financial Officer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cfochinachinesedistributiondistributorthe9world-of-warcraftwowMon, 09 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Zon: the MMO that teaches you to speak Chinese]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/zon-the-mmo-that-teaches-you-to-speak-chinese/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/zon-the-mmo-that-teaches-you-to-speak-chinese/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/zon-the-mmo-that-teaches-you-to-speak-chinese/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


A team of developers supported by Michigan State University and the Office of the Chinese Language Council International have spent the past few years piecing together Zon -- a browser-based virtual world wherein users can learn the Mandarin Chinese language. The game is currently in its open beta phase; you can sign up to play right now.

Users create an avatar and then find themselves in a representation of Beijing International Airport. From there, they may interact with NPCs and other world objects to learn more about Chinese language and culture, as well as communicate with other players to practice their language skills. As they progress through the system, they move up in rank from Tourist to Resident, and finally to Citizen -- at which point they may create their own content for the world.

We learned of Zon through the blog of Areae president Raph Koster, who had an interesting anecdote to add. During his stint at SOE, the company worked with college campuses to use EverQuest II for total immersion language education. So this is not a new idea -- just a really cool one!

MassivelyZon: the MMO that teaches you to speak Chinese originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinesechinese-language-council-internationaleducationimmersionlanguagelearninglessonsmandarinmichigan-state-universitymsuzonWed, 04 Jun 2008 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[HiPiHi reopens beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/19/hipihi-reopens-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/19/hipihi-reopens-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/19/hipihi-reopens-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Chinese virtual world HiPiHi has reopened registration for beta accounts. If you want to give this a spin, you will be pleased to know that you can now perform account registration in English. Unfortunately, it seems that you'll still need to either read a few words of Chinese or have a fine-mastery of educated guesswork to handle the user-interface.

We spent a few minutes in HiPiHi today. Within our first couple of minutes, we got our leg humped by some kind of transforming robot, and then someone tried to push us into the sea. Technology is awesome.

If you're feeling brave and would like to have a look at this virtual world in beta, give the signup a whirl. Be warned - the viewer download is at least 20 times longer than the download for Second Life, so find something else to do while that is happening.

MassivelyHiPiHi reopens beta originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaschinachinesehipihinewsvirtual-worldsSat, 19 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One million concurrent connections set record in WoW]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/13/one-million-concurrent-connections-set-record-in-wow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/13/one-million-concurrent-connections-set-record-in-wow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/13/one-million-concurrent-connections-set-record-in-wow/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Can you imagine one million people doing anything simultaneously? This is one of those fascinating statistics like how a child is born every 3.6 seconds or someone eats meatloaf every 4.9 seconds. Never mind the fact that those previous stats are completely made up, World of Warcraft recently achieved the astounding feat of one million concurrent players in China. Not only is this a testament to the network stability in China, but it's also a new record for the game since it's launch in June of 2005.

Amid unfounded allegations that these were all gold sellers, the fact of the matter is that gold sellers go where the money is: the European and North American servers. Regardless, this new record is quite a feat and we now anxiously await the next record-breaking event. Most random duel requests in a second? Most uses of the word "noob" on one server? We shall see.

MassivelyOne million concurrent connections set record in WoW originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentchineseone-millionworld-of-warcraftwowSun, 13 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China puts in policy to discourage foreign MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/china-puts-in-policy-to-discourage-foreign-MMOs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/china-puts-in-policy-to-discourage-foreign-MMOs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/china-puts-in-policy-to-discourage-foreign-MMOs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

China has always been a market that businesses have stumbled over each other to secure. Students of history might remember how Coca-Cola was one of the first companies to recognize the fact that a country with a billion people is a country with a billion potential customers, and was literally right on the heels of President Carter when negotiations relaxed the restriction of foreign goods in 1979. So too are MMO makers starting to realize the enormous potential of an increasingly connected Chinese mainland. Sure, World of Warcraft's 10 million subscribers seems good now, but what happens when a game comes along that captures the attention of the Chinese market, estimated to grow to 59 million in 2008?

Unfortunately for developers in the U.S., Korea, and elsewhere looking to cash in on this burgeoning market, recent regulations imposed by the Chinese government will allow domestic Chinese gaming companies to effectively postpone the release of foreign-developed games indefinitely by submitting a complaint to GAPP, China's censorship agency. Curious that they'd run a protectionist racket on an industry that they recently likened to "spiritual opium," but the Communist government didn't take power in order to be a bedrock of consistency.

The political science major in me is actually excited by this prospect, because it means that MMOs are likely about to enter into the field of political discourse. Just as they do with farm goods and automobiles, it might not be too much of a stretch to imagine U.S. politicians publicly wrangling with Chinese officials to allow American MMOs unrestricted access to the Chinese population. In the next few years, it's possible your Congressman will talk, at length about World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online in front of one of the chambers of Congress. And this time they'll actually be speaking in favor of the game industry. What a thought!

MassivelyChina puts in policy to discourage foreign MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelschinachinesedungeon-runnersfreefree-to-playGiantneteaseshandaWoWThu, 24 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Open beta for Zu Online starts tonight]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/open-beta-for-zu-online-starts-tonight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/open-beta-for-zu-online-starts-tonight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/open-beta-for-zu-online-starts-tonight/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you're looking for a game with a Chinese-wuxia-esque twist, you'll be interested to know that Zu Online will enter its open beta testing phase this evening at 8:00 PM EST. Poke around the official website for the client download (which can even be acquired via BitTorrent, if that's your sort of thing!) and for instructions for the actual launch when it comes. All the old alpha accounts are getting wiped just prior to the beginning of the new phase, so the servers will be a level playing field for new players.

If you're not familiar with the game: it's a Kung Fu MMO which features player flight and group-oriented story quests as major selling points. It also has a really neat, stylized cell-shaded look -- something that when you think about it seems like a really good match for the genre.

Animated, story-driven Wire Fu -- how can you possibly go wrong with that?

MassivelyOpen beta for Zu Online starts tonight originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabittorrentchinachineseflightiggkung-fumartial-artsonwind-digitalopen-betawuxiazu-onlineFri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese MMO publishers hit the market]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/chinese-mmo-publishers-go-public/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/chinese-mmo-publishers-go-public/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/chinese-mmo-publishers-go-public/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

China's relationship with MMOs goes much deeper than just RMT scams. In his latest editorial on the Chinese game business for Gamasutra, Shang Koo gives an appraisal of the public offerings of NetDragon and Giant Interactive, two of the premier Chinese game publishers to emerge from the recent gaming boom in the East. Giant Interactive, which is set to premier on the New York Stock Exchange starting this Wednesday, is the publisher responsible for Zhengtu Online, the second-most popular game on the continent since it was released last year. NetDragon, which itself is set to appear on the Hong Kong stock exchange this Friday, developed Eudemons Online and is working with Ubisoft on the upcoming Heroes of Might and Magic.

Koo looks at the ways that game sales are affected by the differences in the developer/publisher relationship in China, and forecasts gloomy days ahead for companies trying to license their titles in the enormous Chinese game market, which today is largely dominated by home-grown titles.

MassivelyChinese MMO publishers hit the market originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachineseEudemons-onlinegiant-interactiveimportslicensingNetDragonpublisherstock-marketzhengtu-onlineMon, 29 Oct 2007 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Zu Online alpha test goes live with 'big rewards']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/26/zu-online-alpha-test-goes-live-with-big-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/26/zu-online-alpha-test-goes-live-with-big-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/26/zu-online-alpha-test-goes-live-with-big-rewards/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Zu Online, a new, free fantasy MMO being developed by Onwind Digital and brought to the 'states by IGG, has entered its alpha test. Sporting a unique and surprisingly stylistic hand-drawn style, Zu is heavily-steeped in Chinese mythology, shirking the typical elves and orcs fare for a focus on Buddhist monastic tradition.

Their website, which is curiously hard to navigate and chock full of good old fashioned engrish, claims that "hundreds of thousands" of people applied to be part of the alpha, and only five hundred made it in. Those lucky few will get an added treat from Onwind and crew this weekend, as all alpha testers will receive a princely 30 gold!

And hey, for a free game, it sure is pretty. If they work on localization a little bit more, Zu Online could very well be a hit . We'll see.

MassivelyZu Online alpha test goes live with 'big rewards' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphachinachineseengrishfreefreewarehand-drawnIGGOnwind-Digitaltestzu-onlineFri, 26 Oct 2007 14:02:00 EST