Knowledge Power for the Connected World
FOCUS REPORT ON CHINA'S MOBILE PHONE GAME MARKET (2004)
Executive Summary
In 2003, the total number of China's mobile phone subscribers reached 269 million, and the popularity rate was over 20%. From 2002 to 2003, the annual growth of mobile phone sets was more than 60 million, nevertheless, the ARPU rate decreased by 20%~30% per-year. However, since SMS and other value-added mobile data services grows, the decreasing range of ARPU rate went smoothly, as data from Analysys show.
In 2003, the market size of the entire value-added mobile data service SP market was around 3.733 billion RMB, and the figure is expected to reach 5 billion in 2004, according to data from Analysys. Mobile phone game under discussion in this report, is the trend and future of the game industry, and will be an important component of value-added telecommunication data service and trend of future communicating entertainment as well.
The game industry, which is in the highlight during recent years, shows a strong trend of development, from traditional offline PC game to online games nowadays. The experience of its success and the prosperity of relative trades it promotes, has brought the perspective and business opportunity to the vendors. The mobile phone game market is at its beginning stage and will probably become the new growth point of game industry in the future.
Although mobile phone game still remains a single service of value-added mobile telecommunication data services, as China Mobile promotes GPRS service and China Unicom launches CDMA 1X data service, mobile phone game service is considered to be an important application field of 2.5G data service. Also, it will be the beginning of competition between China Mobile's JAVA and China Unicom's BREW, covering service platform, download of application software and vast ranges of services on the Internet, that used mobile phone terminals as portal.
As a forerunner in research of China's value-added mobile data service, Analysys has completed this report, as a result of years' accumulation of knowledge on telecommunication market, especially mobile telecommunication market, combining with depth visits to professionals and on second-hand resources. Analysys expects it would be an useful reference to vendors and SPs.
Main issues under discussion in this report are the following:
* Definition and classification of mobile phone games
* Subscriber number, market size and forecast of WAP、JAVA、BREW
* Recent market size and forecast of SMS、WAP、JAVA、BREW mobile phone game markets
* Comparative on industry chain structure between mobile phone game industry and traditional PC game industry. Study on the charging mode of mobile phone game at present.
* Drivers and inhibitors of mobile phone game industry
* on the perspective market module of mobile phone game industry and time of entering. on development of future mobile phone game market in 4-5 years and research on environment of two industrial regulations, advices to new capitals and development strategies and opportunities to various kinds of SP as well.
* of main SP that participate in the mobile phone game market and their products
* Need studies of mobile phone game users. on mode, age, income, accepting rate to new things and etc. through wide-ranged sample studies, in the hope of giving beneficial reference to the development of new products and reasonable charging mode for mobile phone game SP and vendors.
Analysys Findings
Main findings of this report are the following:
* Mobile phone game is a market with great potentials and requires relatively small invest, so it has attracted many incomers. Still, small and medium SP have to face tight competition and struggle for a living.
* With the thought that "goods of nice quality needs no promotion", game developers, game application and service providers pay little attention to sales promotion and market extension at present. They all take it for granted that a joyful game would certainly gain big share of the market, and they neglect the importance of user's experience of the game and formation of customs.
* The tight competition in mobile phone game market refers to both domestic and overseas game developers.
* At present, some companies are active in bringing in successful and mature game products from aboard, which not only is beneficial for improving the quality of domestic game products, attracting users and increasing the amount of users, but also intensify the competition in domestic mobile phone game market.
* In terms of technical platform that mobile phone game rely on, the market size of SMS game is much larger than that of WAP game and JAVA/BREW game. But in terms of market trends, the growing space of SMS game is very limited, while JAVA/BREW game will keep a rapid growth.
* There is conflict between object users of mobile phone game products and mobile phone end users.
The main consuming group of the entertaining game market consists of young people whose incomes are not high. At present, games in JAVA "treasure case" launched by China Mobile stress on low-end market, but the number of mobile phones that available for downloading JAVA programs, is quite limited and they are all high-end products priced over 3000 RMB. In this sense, there is conflict between object users of mobile phone game products and mobile phone end users-- end users who like playing games have a low consuming ability, while users whose mobile terminal available for downloading cannot well accept the game service and rarely make use of it.
* The charging standards of different mobile phone games are almost the same, lacking in variety.
The charging rate of "collection box" is not competitive. Downloading of a single JAVA program through Monternet's"Baibaoxiang"costs 5 RMB, which is a main obstructive for young subscribers with low consuming ability, such as M-zone subscribers.
* Seeking for low cost and short-term profit, qualities of the present game products are poor.
As the investment and cost of developing mobile phone games are relatively small at present, many SP have entered this market. But restricted by technologies, investment and other factors, most SPs spend relatively little efforts on the game quality, defectiveness exists from procedure design to mission design of the game plan and the game qualities are poor.
* The life cycle of mobile phone game product is usually around 3 months, so it is important to know the need of the customers and develop favorable products. At the same time, it becomes urgency as how to prolong the life span of the game products and keep attracting the users.
Analysys Suggestions
* Analysys suggests portal SP, professional SP and other small medium SP select a proper time to enter the market, according to their own characteristics such as small capital, low technological barrier and etc. 2005 and 2007 will be the industry regulation periods of China's mobile phone game market, which offer opportunities to all types of SP.
* There are opportunities for small medium SP in 2004, and it is a proper time to enter the market.
Analysys considers the features of mobile phone game service to be: a large cardinal number of user, a large size of the potential market, a short life cycle, a strong substituteness, a strong rely on technological platform and popularity rate of terminals, a relatively small cost of development and promotion, a low entering barrier. Analysys suggest some SP take advantage of the opportunity, considering about entering the mobile phone game market in time.
* At present, development of WAP and JAVA games are in a vantage period, so we suggest small medium SP mainly focus on this field.
Browsing and downloading type of mobile phone games like WAP, JAVA, BREW and etc. is the developing trend of the future game market. As development of SMS has come to a mature period, the income of SMS mainly centralize in several big portal SP and powerful SP, so we doesn't suggest new comers to enter the SMS market.
* Mobile phone game will covered a considerable market size in 2005, as a result of 1~2 year's breeding and development. We suggest powerful portal SP increase the investment to mobile phone game market, so as to get vantage during the first industry regulation.
* Traditional online game vendors see opportunities. Communication and cooperation with telecom vendors become more important.
Analysys predict that, seeing great potentials of future mobile phone game market, traditional online game vendors, like Shanda Networking, will actively enter the mobile phone game market in 2004, and will become powerful SP. What's more, they will take advantage of predominant resources of mobile phone game development, to get vantage in terms of technologies and application content. In this regard, policies and supports of telecom vendors play important roles in their development.
* The first regulation of China's mobile phone game industry will take place in 2005. Under a circumstance of capital integration, small medium SP sees both opportunities and challenge.
* In terms of mobile phone game products, it is necessary to improve the quality of the games. It is the key of product development that on user's needs and preference, how to attract user's attention and tempt them to play, and how to keep the sticky of the game as well.
* As for mobile phone game market, the entering barrier of technology and capital is low, and SP 's advantages mainly present through products, brand and subscribers. Therefore, we suggest game software developers, application and service providers emphasis on promotion and market extension in spite of products development, and pay attention to the growth of their brands and customers.
* We suggest more various charging methods, considering characteristics of mobile phone game product and its usage, such as monthly payment, single time downloading, single time downloading in limited time using, single time play and etc., to increase the choosing options for users in terms of price.
* At present, terminals remain one of the main abstractive for adoption of mobile phone games. We suggest mobile phone terminal manufactures, vendors, SP enhance cooperation, and rise the popularity of color screen, GPRS, JAVA, BREW and other terminal products.
Table of Content
1 Definition and Classification of Mobile Phone Game
1.1 Definition and Features of Mobile Phone Game
1.1.1 Definition of Mobile Phone Game Service
1.1.2 Features of Mobile Phone Game
1.2 Classification of Mobile Phone Game
1.2.1 Classification Based on Usage Mode
1.2.2 Classification Based on Technological Platform
1.2.3 Classification Based on Content
2 on Status of China's Game Industry
2.1 Status of China's Game Industry
2.1.1 Summary of Traditional Computer Game Industry
2.1.2 Summary of Mobile Phone Game Industry
2.2 Status and Forecast of China's Mobile Phone Game Market
2.2.1 Present User Number of Domestic SMS, WAP, JAVA, BREW Service Market and Forecast
2.2.2 Present Size of Domestic SMS, WAP, JAVA, BREW Service Market and Forecast
2.2.3 Present Size of Domestic Mobile Phone Game Market and Forecast
2.2.4 Forecast of Domestic Mobile Phone Game Market (2004-2006)
2.3 Structure on Industry Chain of Mobile Phone Game Market
2.4 Business Modes and Charge Division Mode of Domestic Mobile Phone Game Market at Present
2.5 Influential Factors of Mobile Phone Game Market
2.5.1 Drivers Affecting the Development of Mobile Phone Game Market
2.5.2 Inhibitors Affecting the Development of Mobile Phone Game Market
3 on Development Phases and Technological Platform of Mobile Phone Game Service
3.1 Definition of Technological Platform of Mobile Phone Game
3.2 Features of Technological Platform of Mobile Phone Game and Market Forecast Module
4 on SP of Domestic Mobile Phone Game Market and Their Products
4.1 Market Share and Income of Main SP in Mobile Phone Game Market
4.1.1 Market Share of Main SP in SMS Mobile Phone Game Market
4.1.2 Income of Main SP in SMS Mobile Phone Game Market
4.1.3 Market Share of Main SP in WAP Mobile Phone Game Market
4.1.4 Income of Main SP in WAP Mobile Phone Game Market
4.1.5 Market Share of Main SP in JAVA Mobile Phone Game Market
4.1.6 Income of Main SP in JAVA Mobile Phone Game Market
4.2 Main Mobile Phone Game SP and Their Products (Listed in No Order)
4.2.1 Mig.com.cn
4.2.2 Kongzhong.com.
4.2.3 Linktone.com.
4.2.4 Digifun.cn.
4.2.5 Tssx.com.cn.
4.2.6 Mfun86.com
4.2.7 5wan.com
4.2.8 Wapdm.com
4.2.9 Magma-Digital.com
4.2.10 Magus Soft.com
5 on Mobile Phone Game Subscribers
5.1 Ratio of Mobile Phone Game Subscribers of Different Age Groups
5.2 Ratio on Mobile Phone Game Subscribers with Different Incomes
5.3 Usage Mode of Mobile Phone Game Subscribers
5.4 End Users' Accepting Rate of New Things
Graph index
Graph 2-2-1 Status and Forecast of SMS, WAP, JAVA, BREW Subscribers
Graph 2-2-2 Market Size and Forecast of WAP, JAVA, BREW Markets
Graph 2-2-3 Market Size and Forecast of Domestic Mobile Phone Game Market
Graph 2-2-4 Forecast on Market Size of China's Mobile Phone Game Service (2004-2006)
Graph 2-3-1 Industry Chain of Mobile Phone Game Service
Graph 3-2-1 Market Expectation of Mobile Phone Game Service
Graph 4-1-1 Market Share of SMS Mobile Phone Game Service in 2003
Graph 4-1-2 Revenue of Main Domestic SMS Mobile Phone Game SP in 2003
Graph 4-1-3 Market Share of WAP Mobile Phone Game Service
Graph 4-1-4 Revenue of Main Domestic WAP Mobile Phone Game SP
Graph 4-1-5 Market Share of JAVA Mobile Phone Game Service
Graph 4-1-6 Revenue of Main Domestic JAVA Mobile Phone Game SP
Graph 5-1-1 Ratio of Users that Have Adopted Mobile Phone Game Service
Graph 5-1-2 Ratio of Users in Different Age Groups that Adopted Mobile Phone Game Service
Graph 5-2-1 Service Adopting Ratio of Users with Different Incomes
Graph 5-3-1 Usage Modes of Mobile Phone Game Service Subscribers
Graph 5-4-1 End User's Consuming Incline
Graph 5-4-2 Consuming Inclines of End User in Different Age Groups
Table index
Table 4-2-1 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Mig.com.cn
Table 4-2-2 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Kongzhong.com
Table 4-2-3 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Linktone.com
Table 4-2-4 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Digifun.com
Table 4-2-5 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Tssx.com.cn
Table 4-2-6 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Mfun86.com
Table 4-2-7 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of 5wan.com
Table 4-2-8 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Wapdm.com
Table 4-2-9 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Magma-Digital.com
Table 4-2-10 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Magus Soft.com
Table 4-2-11 Introduction of Main Mobile Phone Game Products and Charging Rate of Eshouji.com
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中文版价格 |
字数 |
页数 |
出版时间 |
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8000 |
21000 |
60页 |
3月中旬 |
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