Computer Games

Re: Online Games

Postby winston » Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:54 pm

China restricts 'virtual' economies

* Online currencies in China no longer can be traded for real-world money
* Online money can be used to buy things for game characters or friends
* Expert says virtual coins are becoming competitors to real cash
* Some hope the rule will prevent "gold farming," criticized as inhumane

By John D. Sutter
CNN

(CNN) -- As Internet-based economies edge closer to their real-world counterparts, one country is apparently trying to build a wall between the two.

A government ruling means QQ coins won't be traded for real cash in China. Many support the move.

China has announced new rules that prevent "virtual currencies" like Linden Dollars and QQ coins from being traded for real cash.

"It's a pretty important step," said Edward Castronova, a professor at the University of Indiana who studies virtual currency. "These virtual currencies, as they grow, are going to become competitors to real-world currencies -- and apparently that's what happening in China. These QQ coins are becoming things you can use at the corner store to top off your bill."

It's difficult to say how large virtual economies have become, because governments don't conduct surveys, Castronova said, but the popularity of online cash is reportedly growing by as much as 20 percent per year.

Virtual worlds like Second Life allow users to buy clothes, cars and land for their virtual characters, or avatars. And online cash has become important in online games and social networks, where users can buy trinkets to give to their friends or power-ups for their video game characters.

China's ruling does not prevent gamers from purchasing virtual money. It stops the cash flow in the other direction, meaning online-only money can't be converted back into dollars or yuan, an online statement from China's Ministry of Commerce says.

The decision comes as China wrestles with Internet and privacy issues. Free-speech advocates have criticized the country's decision to install Internet-filtering software on all computers, although that mandate was recently delayed.

Online commentators have said the virtual currency restrictions are designed to ban "gold farming," in which workers earn online money by playing games like "World of Warcraft" and then sell their earnings for real money on a black market.

Some have called the process inhumane, and news reports describe sweat-shop-like conditions for the people who work to earn the virtual cash. Most games, including "World of Warcraft," ban the practice, but that's not always successful.

Mark Methenitis, an attorney in Dallas, Texas, who writes a blog on legal aspects of virtual gaming, said he's hopeful the rule will restrict gold farming.

"Is this necessarily going to solve the problem? We'll see," Methenitis said. "In theory it does, but it also imposes quite a bit of more regulatory control that the government has to work on."

Castronova said that's not the intent of the rule. He says it is a forward-thinking move to protect China's national economies, and other governments should take notice and eventually follow suit.

"It is good for an economy to have the government in charge of the currency. ... That's the right way to run an economy," he said. "If you don't do that, then you kind of return to the days of wildcat banking."

If people start using online money to buy goods at real stores, then video game communities or social networks essentially become banks, he said. That could lead to wild inflation and market failures both in the real and virtual worlds, he said.
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Re: Online Games

Postby winston » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:08 am

Sale of illegal virtual currencies cause game accounts to be frozen
By Liang Kaixin/Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Online hackers have generated enormous amounts of counterfeit virtual currency for a popular on-line game so action has been taken, upsetting innocent gamers in Singapore.

In the popular online video game, Maple Story, gamers must slay demons and earn virtual credits.

But this month, some were unable to complete their gaming quests after an estimated 1,000 accounts were frozen overnight.

Ng Kok Khwang, marketing director, Asiasoft Online, said: "This is because Nexon, the game developer of Maple Story, has unilaterally decided to ban the accounts due to hacking programmes being used in the game as well as some gold farming issues."

Gold farming is the process by which players earn real money by selling their virtual currencies to other online gamers. In fact, these virtual currencies, also known as Mesos in Maple Story, can be sold at 11 Singapore cents per million Mesos on local gaming forums.

But with third-party hacking software, players in China can produce more than ten times the amount of Mesos normally earned through a quest.

Leonard Loo, lawyer, said: "In the case of this computer hacker who uses a program to generate multiple accounts to accumulate points and gold, for example, ... to sell it for money later on - this hacker has actually committed an offence.

"The offence punishable is under the computer misuse act, and the hacker can be fined up to S$5,000 or sent to jail for up to two years."

Maple Story has attracted 100 million gamers worldwide and hosts more than a million accounts in Singapore.

And one to three per cent of this million use illegitimate ways of earning money through the game. That is a low figure compared to other countries, but Asiasoft has since added patches to the game to trace such offences.

Source: CNA/vm

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/ ... 38/1/.html
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Re: Online Games

Postby winston » Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:14 am

China's online game revenues hits $4 billion

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The pace of growth of China's online gaming industry slowed in 2009, growing 30.2 percent to 27.1 billion yuan ($3.97 billion) over the previous year, according to data from research firm iResearch.

Technology

The top game operators of 2009 by market share were Tencent Holdings, Shanda Games and NetEase.com the Beijing-based company said.

The number of active online gamers totaled 60 million to 70 million in 2009, about a fifth of China's total Internet population.

China's online gaming revenue, which has seen explosive growth over the past few years, is expected to more than double in the next three years as companies take advantage of increased Internet penetration and rapidly developing sectors such as online social games and online mobile games.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6 ... technology
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Re: Online Games

Postby winston » Sun Feb 28, 2010 4:44 pm

Online gaming sweeps China

At one of Beijing's many Internet cafes, near-silence reigns: headphones on, eyes glued to the screen, web users play games online en masse, helping to make China one of the industry's top markets.

Young men crowd around terminals for role-playing adventure games while women gamers tap away to keep troupes of dancers in line -- and international companies want part of the action.

In 2009 the industry raked in nearly 26 billion yuan (3.8 billion dollars), up 39.5 percent over the previous year, according to government data.

But experts say the booming market will mostly benefit homegrown firms, whose products are more closely tailored to the tastes and preferences of the more than 380 million people using the Internet in China.

"Foreign game developers are having a tough time competing in China," said Daniel H. Vlad, a senior analyst specialising in the online games and e-commerce sectors for research house JLM Pacific Epoch in New York.

"So far only one Western game, World of Warcraft, has really succeeded in China," he said.

"Chinese users spend significantly more time playing games than their Western counterparts. Foreign games typically fail to deliver enough content... Chinese gamers eventually lose interest and move on."

Lisa Cosmas Hanson, the founder of Niko Partners which provides market intelligence on China's video game industry, explains that gamers here like a variety of challenges, from cultural and mythical history adventures to sports.

She said that beyond the cultural differences keeping foreign developers from breaking through to Chinese gamers, opaque government regulations in a sector tightly controlled by the ruling Communist party are the "biggest hurdle".

"Games created in China account for more than 60 percent of the market," says Yu Yi, an analyst for IT research firm Analysys International.

Three firms, all listed in New York on the Nasdaq, are leading the way: Tencent, Shanda and NetEase -- which has the operating licence for World of Warcraft in China.

According to Analysys International, the firms held about 24, 20 and 16.5 percent of the market, respectively, in the fourth quarter of 2009.

The online games sector is charging ahead thanks to the exponential growth of China's web community, now the largest in the world. Cheap computer products and relatively inexpensive Internet access have also fuelled the trend.

Vlad said the key driving factor behind the success of online gaming in China has been "the increase in quality, innovation, and the variety of game choices targeting all demographics".

The online market research firm iResearch says the sector will remain "at the heart of the Internet economy" for years to come, with annual growth of about 20 percent.

Analysys International predicts that by 2012, the market will nearly triple from 2009 levels to about 73 billion yuan, with more than 270 million players.

The government has expressed some concern about the trend, with a survey showing that 24 million young people -- half of them gamers -- were addicted to the web.

But at the cybercafe in central Beijing -- where an hour's play costs three yuan, or less than 50 US cents -- business is booming.

"People spend four or five hours here at a time," said one of the managers, who would only give his surname Zhao.

Attempts to speak to the players were met with silence -- they were too engrossed in their games.

Only one young woman broke away long enough to tell AFP: "All the girls are playing Jing Wu Tuan" -- a dance game developed by Shanghai-based 9you.

"Online gaming in China is a very affordable form of entertainment and an important medium of socialisation," Vlad said, calling it a "recession-proof industry".

Source: AFP Asian Edition
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Re: Online Games

Postby lithium » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:09 pm

winston, i think this is another industry we should pay attention too. ;)
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Re: Online Games

Postby winston » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:24 pm

lithium wrote:winston, i think this is another industry we should pay attention too. ;)


Ha Ha... I've been watching it for a long time, hence this thread.

I have also been trading Tencent until they banned gold farming. I'm still trying to understand the impact from the ban.
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Re: Online Games

Postby winston » Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:08 am

Chinese Online Games

The Ministry of Culture (MoC) issued on June 22 its first ministerial level provisional regulation on online games to ensure efficient management of the online games industry and to protect underage gamers (below 18 years old) from inappropriate online content and addiction to online games; it will take effect on August 1.

Key topics covered include:

(1) MoC is the key regulatory authority to approve online games – imported games need to be approved by MoC and domestic games need to be filed with MoC;

(2) game operators should declare the game content, target players and other warnings on their game websites;

(3) game operators should take measures to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate games, and games targeting minors should not contain terror, violence or other illegal activities;

(4) game operators cannot set up functions to allow forced player-killing between players;

(5) game operators that offer virtual currencies should ensure that the virtual currency can only be used in exchange for its own services and products;

(6) virtual currency secondary transaction services providers cannot provide services to minors; and

(7) game operators should require users to register with their real names. Most of the statements in the latest paper appear to be reiterating previous regulations that are already in place.

The new items appear to be #2, #4 and #7 above. We do not expect #2 and #4 to have a significant impact to the game operators’ revenue and earnings. For #7, this appears to be the first time the MoC is requiring real name registration across all players.

However, we believe most of the operators have already been complying with this due to the anti-fatigue compliance system and real-name registration system which GAPP started requiring in 2007. We do not expect material impact to the Chinese online game stocks, as we believe they have already been complying with the existing regulations.

But stricter enforcement of these rules could have a more material indirect impact given poorly enforced limits in certain areas like secondary trading of virtual currencies and ID checking, e.g., lower usage by gamers who play primarily to accumulate and resell virtual currencies, and/or by minors who borrow.
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Boredom Strikes 3 (May 10 - Dec 10)

Postby millionairemind » Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:41 am

Jul 27, 2010
Thousands queue for game sequel

By Daryl Chin

IT IS a classic that set the standard for real-time strategy games and the sequel took 12 years in the making.

At half past noon on Tuesday, thousands of eager fans finally managed to get their hands on Starcraft II, the sequel to the game which has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide.

Funan DigitaLife Mall, the venue for the sequel's release on Tuesday, estimated the number of fans to be over 10,000.

Among them was the chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Mr Lee Hsien Yang, and his son.

The first in line, 23-year-old Nicol Tan, a student chef, had been waiting since 11am the previous day.

'As a hard-core fan for more than 10 years, I wanted to come in early to see how Blizzard sets up the stage because it's a once in a lifetime experience,' he said.
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Re: Computer Games

Postby winston » Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:50 pm

Tokyo Game Show opens with focus on 3D videogames

An annual, action-packed Japanese video game industry gala got under way on Thursday featuring 3D racing games, monkeys and gore-splattered shoot-em-ups.

Nearly 200 hardware and software makers gathered at the four-day Tokyo Game Show at the Makuhari Messe convention hall near Tokyo.

Games developers and hardware makers are vying for a piece of the 3D and motion-sensing gaming market as competition between the industry's giants heats up ahead of Christmas.

On display were titles to be released for Sony's PlayStation Move, which enables users wearing special glasses to play 3D games using intuitive wand-shaped motion controllers.

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) said 35 titles will be released to coincide with the late October Japan launch of the system.

They include the highly anticipated Killzone 3, which will give players an optional, enhanced 3D view of whizzing bullets and splattering blood as they eliminate their on-screen enemies.

Those looking for a more peaceful pastime might consider Me & My Pet, which gives the gamer an immersive 3D universe with a cute monkey to look after.

The PlayStation Move made its debut in Europe on Wednesday and will launch in North America on September 19.

"Games will lead the 3D revolution, there is no doubt," SCE executive Hiroshi Kawano told a media briefing at the show, noting how the technology was fast becoming more popular in movies, music and television.

Sony will offer an upgrade to PlayStation 3 consoles allowing users to enjoy 3D content on Blu-ray discs one month earlier than planned on September 21 due to strong demand, he added.

Eyes were also on Microsoft's long-awaited Kinect motion-sensing system for the Xbox 360 videogame console, which will hit the Japanese market on November 20.

Kinect uses a 3D camera and motion recognition software to let people play videogames using natural body movements and voice commands, and does not require hand-held controllers.

The launch comes as rivals Microsoft and Sony look to close in on Japan's Nintendo, which pioneered motion control gaming with the launch of its hit Wii consoles in 2006 and has outsold both the Xbox and PlayStation3.

Nintendo, which is not taking part in this week's show, is to launch the 3DS, a new version of the hugely popular DS handheld game console with a 3D capability that does not require the user to wear special glasses.

Capcom also drew a big crowd with the next installment in the long-running Monster Hunter series, due for December release for the PSP hand-held console.

Also on display was the latest in Capcom's Street Fighter series as well as a Hello Kitty parachuting game that will be available on iPhones, as game makers expand their range for the burgeoning smartphone market.

The show opens to the public on Saturday.

Source: AFP Global Edition
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Re: Computer Games

Postby winston » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:05 am

Thousands flock to Nintendo 3DS premiere in Japan

Thousands of Japanese game fans flocked to an exhibition hall near Tokyo as Nintendo let the general public try its 3D-enabled DS console for the first time.

The new-generation DS machine -- which allows users to play 3D games without wearing special glasses -- missed the Christmas season but will be released on February 26 in Japan and in March in the United States, Europe and Australia.

Thousands of gamers on Saturday converged on the hall as Nintendo kicked off an admission-free, three-day event for the 3DS in Chiba, east of Tokyo.

Nintendo declined to say how many people had gathered, but hour-long queues did not deter those waiting for a trial lasting just a few minutes.

"It's fun, I want it," Reika, 12, declared after she visited the event with her parents.

Her 48-year-old father was also impressed.

"It was surprising that images come out like seeing images on 3D television with special glasses," he said, adding his daughter would get a new machine, despite the family's already having a number of consoles.

However, he said, his daughter's gaming time would likely be limited.

"I don't think she will play 3D games too long as they tire you more" than conventional video games, he said.

Nintendo has warned that children under the age of six should not use the 3D console because of possible damage to their eyes.

The machine allows the illusion of depth to be increased or decreased so that games can be played in both 2D and 3D, while built-in cameras let users take 3D pictures.

Masatoshi Sakazaki, a 24-year-old student, said it had been "worth waiting" 30 minutes to try a battle game.

"The game looked so brand-new with realistic, 3D images," he said of Sengoku Musou, which features characters wielding swords and guns.

But, he added, it had taken its toll. "I'm not accustomed to seeing 3D images. Even playing for 10 minutes tired me."

The gaming gadget features the trademark DS dual screens, with the upper screen providing 3D images and the other controlled by touch with a stylus.

When in sleep mode, the console can still locate other nearby 3DS devices, exchange data and receive game challenges or other invitations automatically.

More than 20 titles with 3D capability were set up at the exhibition, ranging from a peaceful game in which the user has to pet dogs to football matches and fighting games.

Many lauded the picture quality.

"The movie quality was good and images came out of the screen more than I expected," said Genki Arakaki, 19, who was among the first group of people to see sample scenes for the Metal Gear fighting game.

Arakaki said he will buy the machine, which will sell for 25,000 yen ($300). "As games become more dynamic, I believe it's worth making them 3D," he said.

The hugely popular Nintendo DS has sold more than 130 million units worldwide and its new 3D version has drawn keen interest from media and gamers.

The 3DS will go up against Sony's PlayStation Move system, which enables users wearing special glasses to play 3D games using wand-shaped motion controllers.

Source: AFP Global Edition
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