Asia-Pacific facing online gaming explosion

The international online gaming market is set to explode in the Asia-Pacific region, market watchers predicted today.

Total online gaming market revenues for Asia-Pacific in 2005 stood at $3.2bn and will rise to $6.8bn in 2010, according to market research firm In-Stat. 

"The increase in speed and consistency of internet connections provided by ISPs and telecoms operators [in Asia-Pacific] continues to greatly facilitate the development of online gaming," said In-Stat analyst Bryan Wang.

"Online games are no longer restricted to slow-action strategy games."

The In-Stat research, Asia Pacific Online Gaming Market: Understanding the User, predicts that Japan will lead the regional online gaming market with estimated revenues of $2.8bn by 2010.

China is expected to be the second largest market in the region, with revenues of $2.1bn by 2010.

Some 53.2 per cent of Asia-Pacific respondents in In-Stat's survey indicated that they play online games.

• US teens take to wireless gaming
• PlayStation 3 to win console war
• Game and DVD hacks explode

Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below:

 del.icio.us     Digg this     reddit!