Chinese government to invest $1.8 billion in video games

IF THERE'S one thing we've learned about China over the years it is that when they do something, they do it big and the government usually has a hand in it. Videogames may be seen as frivolous by many and downright dangerous by others - looking at no US Senators in particular whilst saying that.

But in China the government appreciates the amount of money that their burgeoning consumer electronics market is making them.

The number of internet users in China, the world's second-largest internet market, grew by nine million in the first half of this year to reach 103 million people, and as we reported the Massively Multiplayer Online game World of Warcraft managed to take in 44% of its worldwide audience in China a month from launching there.

The burgeoning market is so lucrative that the Chinese government is to invest in a $1.8 billion -yes, we said billion - dollars in developing 100 kinds of online games with independent property rights in the next five years.

With Internet gamers spending some $483 million dollars on virtual equipment for their online alter-egos in the first six months of this year showing that by promoting in videogames the Chinese government can help fuel the overall growth of their consumer technology sector going forward. µ