Internet game "key words" for 2005
By Jack Li
Photos by Yao Fan

"2005年度中国游戏产业年会"近日在厦门开幕. 根据最新数字, 2005年网络游戏用户达到2634万, 实际销售收入达到37.7亿元人民币. 双语周刊记者也来到会场, 记录下这一朝阳产业的年度盛事.

On January 11-12, all the important players in China's internet game industry gathered together at Xiamen International Exhibition Center for their annual forum, the China Game Industry Annual Conference. During the conference, looking back over the ups and downs of the year, speakers raised several themes which had been key to the gaming industry.



Addiction

As more and more people have got caught up playing MMORPGs (massive multiplayer online role playing games), a scare has arisen about addiction, especially among children. Fortunately, game producers as well as the government have been working hard to come up with solutions, both technological and policy based. It is hoped that these measures will allow for better control of children's access to the games and prevent them from devoting excessive amounts of time to them.

Ku Xiaowei, an official speaker from the General Administration of Press and Publications, announced: "We have been working on a 'real-name' system in internet game playing, and we hope this will help games to recognize children and put limits on any excessive indulgence in the games."



World of Warcraft

When World of Warcraft, created by Blizzard, arrived in China early last year, it amazed many Chinese game writers as well as players. "It's the best online game I have ever seen and I doubt there will be any game to surpass it the next few years. However, it also gives me a challenge and inspiration, and I believe it will not be long before Chinese game writers are coming up with similarly high quality games for us," said Lei Jun, president of Kingsoft.



Innovation

All attendees at the forum agreed that innovation will be the key to the future of Chinese internet games. In 2005 Poptang, the "big brother" of China's game industry, abandoned the charging of membership fees, which was one of the most important factors in its rapid success. It is now seeking alternative sources of income. Like many other companies, it has turned its attention to developing casual games (games which do not require such a large investment of time and energy as the traditional MMORPGs), which is a whole new area for exploration in the Chinese market.

Vocabulary
addiction 沉迷
warcraft 战机
forum 论坛
alternative 供选择的

 

 

再邀老外过大年
"Pairing Up" for Chinese Spring Festival

The "Pairing Up" event organized by Xiamen People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Xiamen Evening News is now calling for participants!

All foreign citizens living in Xiamen are invited to sign up to spend the coming Spring Festival with a Chinese family.

Spring Festival is the most important traditional Chinese holiday. Family members gather together to celebrate it with a big feast, just like a Christmas dinner. Of course, the five-thousand-year history of China has enriched Spring Festival with a lot more interesting traditions and customs.

Are you interested in Chinese culture? Do you wish to experience a holiday with several thousand years' history and the life of a Chinese family at a close distance? If you are a foreigner living in Xiamen don't hesitate to sign up now for this great opportunity for real cross-cultural exchange. Give us a call and we will arrange everything for you.

Contact us at 5589999 (in Chinese) or 13950003140 (in English).

 

 

Yu Xianfeng painting & calligraphy exhibition
余险峰书画展
Time: 9:00 am-6:00 pm,
January 13-23
时间: 1月13日至23日,
每日9至18时
Place: Lanlan Gallery, Xinghua Road 6.
地点: 兴华路6号旧雨今来轩
Tel: 0592-2023279