【CCTV9】ChinaJoy沪上开幕近300家知名游戏企业参展(视频)

来源：CCTV9 2011-08-01 07:00

Free online gaming is fast becoming one of the hottest things on the market in China. Helping to promote the industry further is the annual China Joy Gaming Expo happening now in Shanghai.

Gaming companies and hundreds of enthusiastic gamers have descended on the Shanghai New International Expo Center to see and sell the latest hits in the virtual world.

Most games being launched here are online versions that Internet users can play for free. Gaming companies here are attracting visitors with new games or the latest instalments of popular titles.

"There are so many new games to try. I'm so excited because there are so many interesting games."

Free online gaming is fast becoming one of the hottest
things on the market in China. Helping to promote the
industry further is the annual China Joy Gaming Expo
happening now in Shanghai.

Exhibitor, said, "We want the players to come here and discover our new games. That's the direction we are working toward."

While many of those attending China Joy are teenagers, the fair is also a very important industry event where companies meet to discuss new trends in the market.

This free model is particularly popular in China, compared to other countries in Europe, the US and Japan, where gamers will purchase full price blockbuster games before even playing them.

But free-to-play doesn't mean there's no money to be made.

Free online gaming is fast becoming one of the hottest
things on the market in China. Helping to promote the
industry further is the annual China Joy Gaming Expo
happening now in Shanghai.

Developers make their income from player upgrades, often in the form of new powers or weapons, and through online advertising sales.

Qu Yi is the marketing director of Beijing-based CDC Games, and an avid online gamer.

Qu Yi, Marketing Director of CDC Games, said, "With the exception of one game title, our company offers all free-to-play, pay-for-merchandise platforms. This business model, especially in the Chinese video game industry, has become the most popular. While the traditional model charges by the time played, we have moved to a free play version. Even our American and European competitors are now using this model."

Qu Yi says that the free-to-play method of introducing games to the market has become the driving force in the industry. When all that is needed is an Internet connection, companies have noticed that players are discovering their games faster.

And even though shoot-em-up games are still dominant, at least one developer, Kingworld Technology of South Korea, is releasing a mystical adventure where gamers must complete a series of tasks in order to advance to higher levels.

The China Joy Expo runs from Thursday to Sunday at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

Free online gaming is fast becoming one of the hottest
things on the market in China. Helping to promote the
industry further is the annual China Joy Gaming Expo
happening now in Shanghai.