The Top 10 Chinese Online Games: What’s Hot With Chinese Gamers

Gaming — By Simon on December 1, 2009 at 2:19 pm
  1. Dungeon and Fighter (Operator, Developer: Tencent (0700.HK), Neople)
  2. Legend of Mir 2 (Shanda (Nasdaq:SNDA), Wemade)
  3. QQ Speed (Tencent)
  4. Audition (Nineyou, T3 Entertainment)
  5. World of Warcraft (NetEase (Nasdaq:NTES); Blizzard Entertainment)
  6. Tian Long Ba Bu (Changyou (Nasdaq:CYOU))
  7. QQ Dancer (Tencent, Horizon 3D)
  8. Zhu Xian (Perfect World (Nasdaq:PWRD))
  9. The Lord of the Rings Online (CDC Corporation’s (Nasdaq:CHINA) CDC Games, Turbine)
  10. QQ Tang (Tencent)

(source: JLMepoch)

This list comes from Xunlei, a Chinese download software provider, based on downloads through their client site gougou.com.

The list provides a good overview of the types of online games popular with Chinese youth.  MMORPGs (Massive-Multiplayer-Online- Role-Playing-Games) are all well placed in the list but casual online games such as Audition (online muliplayer casual rhythm game) are increasing in popularity.

China’s Tencent is doing a good job in representing home grown online games with it’s QQ branded casual games: QQ Speed, QQ Dancer and QQ Tang. However, the bulk of popular titles have their origins in Korea – the pace maker for the global online gaming market. Globally popular World of Warcraft has lost ground to Korean RPG imports Dungeon Fighter and Legend of Mir 2.

Yet, this Korean gaming wave could be subject to change.

China’s online game revenue for 2008 accounted for approximately 27% global share, trumping South Korea’s 21% but still behind the U.S. at 29%. Furthermore, Chinese titles such as ‘Perfect World’ (No.8 on the list) are now starting to reverse the trend and seeing growing popularity in the Korean market.

Coupled with this growth will be additional market innovation and one will begin to see greater synergy over different medias. Shanda’s deal to colloborate with Hunan TV could see the convergence of online gaming and broadcasting, an interesting development but a tricky marketing prospect for those hoping to better segment their audiences.

What is certain is that an innovative and nuanced apporach must be taken if one wants to tackle this market’s rapidly evolving nature and the relationship it has with the Chinese youth.

Keep it locked to the blog for more insights on gaming in China.

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    6 Comments

  • Kai Lukoff says:
    December 1, 2009 at 3:15 pm

    Credit Suisse Nov. 2009 has very different rankings estimates for the top 10 online games in China, with steep drop-offs in share at the top:
    Rank / Game / Share / Type / Dev
    1 D&F 24.03 MMORPG (2D) Tencent
    2 Cross fire 12.58 ACG (3D) Tencent
    3 World of Warcraft ↑ 5.89 MMORPG (3D) NetEase
    4 QQ Dance ↓ 5.11 ACG (3D) (dd) Tencent
    5 QQ Speed 4.01 ACG (3D) (dd) Tencent
    6 Fantasy ZhuXian (FZX) ↑ 3.22 MMORPG (2D) (dd) Perfect world
    7 Audition ↓ 2.79 ACG (3D) 9you
    8 FWJ ↓ 2.73 MMORPG (2D)(dd) NetEase
    9 TLBB 2.69 MMORPG (2.5D)(dd) Changyou
    10 Aion ↓ 2.60 MMORPG (3D) Shanda
    11 Zhuxian 2.56 MMORPG (3D) (dd) Perfect World
    12 Wendao ↓ 2.17 MMORPG (2D)(dd) Guang Yu-Hua Xia
    13 Kart Rider ↓ 1.97 ACG (3D) Tiancity
    14 Tian Xia 2 ↑ 1.75 MMORPG (3D)(dd) NetEase
    15 Counter Strike online ↓ 1.45 ACG (3D) Tiancity
    16 Mir II ↑ 1.29 MMORPG (2D) Shanda
    17 Shumen ↓ 1.14 MMORPG (2.5D) (dd) Tianlei
    18 The Realm of Magic ↑ 1.12 MMORPG (2.5D)(dd) NetDragon
    19 QQ gamezone ↑ 1.10 Board & chess games (dd) Tencent
    20 JX 3 ↓ 0.94 MMORPG (3D) (dd) Kingsoft

  • Simon says:
    December 2, 2009 at 9:48 am

    That’s pretty interesting Kai. I’m pretty sure there’s a few different ways of estimating the most popular titles – downloads, market share, registered users, IWOM, etc.

    However, the lists aren’t too varied, although the Credit Suisse one does show the Korean games to still be quite dominant with ‘Cross Fire’ & ‘Aion’ both making the list.

  • Kai Lukoff says:
    December 2, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    Simon, upon further examination, you’re right, not that different, though Mir II takes a steep fall in the Credit Suisse rankings. Maybe that’s bc downloads pick up on trends in games rather than existing market share, users? (which fits with the ↑ rating by Credit)

    great blog, keep it up!

  • free games says:
    December 3, 2009 at 12:04 am

    I like Chinese games. They are interesting to play.