61 Million Chinese Online Gamers by 2010 Reports In-Stat.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The ranks of online gamers in China will grow from 25.5 million in 2005 to 61 million in 2010, reports In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). Government policy is generally in favor of the online gaming industry and several drivers will provide numerous business opportunities, the high-tech market research firm says. For now, however, profits are elusive for many firms. Less than 15% of Chinese online gaming companies were profitable in 2005.

"As of 2005, there were 16 million paid online game players," said Anty Zheng, In-Stat analyst. "The increased rate of online gamers is bigger than that of Chinese 'netizens' since online gaming, as one of the most widely used online services, will become more and more popular in the coming years."

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

--Key first-tier players, such as ShanDa, NetEase, The9 and KingSoft, account for a combined 80% of the market.

--In 2005, there were more than 300 online gaming companies in China. 50% of the games are homemade, and that share will increase in the coming years.

--A current market barrier is a new policy requiring that playing time be restricted to four hours for each game and for each player.

The research, "Online Gaming in China: More than Fun and Games" (#IN0602619CCM), covers the market opportunity of online gaming in China, and includes discussions on user demand, business models, regulatory issues, specific opportunities, and company profiles. Also presented are forecasts for subscribers and online gaming revenue, as well as for lucrative peripheral markets through 2010.

For more information on this research, please visit: http://www.instat.com/catalog/Ccatalogue.asp?id=240 or contact Erin McKeighan at 480-609-4551 or [e-mail]. The price is $2,995 (US).

About In-Stat

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