The development history of online games

Web games, also known as web games and free online games, are actually games played by browsers. They can be played happily on any computer connected to the Internet anytime and anywhere, without downloading the client, which is especially suitable for working people.

As long as you can open IE, you can enter the game in 10 seconds. There is no need to download a huge client and there is no problem of insufficient machine configuration. The most important thing is that it is extremely convenient to close or switch, so you don't have to worry about being caught playing games at work by BOSS ~

Web games were a flash in the pan in the 1990s, and have recently revived in the market. The difference is that web games that have nothing to do with any nostalgia and retro style have been buried in the snow because of the bad browser technology. This time, they are the salvation teachers of online game operators, and their faces are completely different. ...

In the process of game interface and dynamic interaction, it is almost difficult for players to distinguish whether this is a web application on the browser or an independent game program.

I don't need to say more about how popular web games are now. Just enter "web game" in Baidu and see how many game manufacturers promote it! A whole screen!

Of course, after the technical wound has healed, the biggest advantage of web games-convenience-has been fully played! There is no need to download the data package, install the client or install the CD. Players only need to open the webpage to play the game. From the first step-the way to participate in the game, the game has achieved a revolutionary change, and it can almost open its arms to the 65.438+72 billion netizens in China.

The game stickiness brought by convenience is frightening: according to statistics, the online game population in China reached 70% in 2006, among which the arrival rate of QQ games was 37%, that of Lianzhong was 20%, and that of Shanda was 19%. QQ is far ahead of the game because the existence of QQ simplifies the way to get to the game. By analogy, web games (you can play games as long as you can surf the Internet) are more convenient than QQ games, and thanks to Web2.0, the interface and interaction between browsers and desktop games are almost similar.

In addition, web games will not only stay in the form of web pages, but also be jointly developed with WAP and j2me, which is cross-platform. These two platforms access the same server. After offline, players can continue to play on their mobile phones and enjoy the database ... The future of elite web games is limitless.

It is also very important that web games have more favorable space than traditional online games, and web games only gain players who have the ability to pay among netizens. White-collar players are characterized by high work pressure and little time and energy to play games, but they have enough money in their wallets and are willing to invest in their favorite online entertainment methods.

New Opportunities in Online Game Market

2005 was the best year for online games industry in China, but it was the worst year for small and medium-sized online games enterprises. While the potential of online games in China has been instantly explored, it has also become a survival game for oligarchs such as Shanda, Jiucheng, Netease and Tencent. In order not to be reduced to a small role of eating leftovers, other online game companies outside the giants have sought new open space to obtain the right to exist.

Nowadays, web games have achieved great success. A feasibility investment report of venture capital institutions pointed out that web games are unique and have rich revenue models. For example, web games are most suitable for emotional investment advertising. Using the characteristics of easy expansion of web games, it can be combined with various value-added services, and can easily cooperate with peers and different industries.

For online game companies, web games are also a new strategic location: the details of network communication are realized through browsers, and game developers can realize online games cheaply without buying expensive network engines. For the game industry, in the environment of rampant piracy in China, online games are the only way to make a profit. The high development cost of traditional PC online games and the appearance of web games naturally provide excellent opportunities for "young" entrepreneurs in China's game industry.

Commercial value: high-end users and mobile terminals.

According to the latest "2007-2008 China Online Game Industry Development Report" released by iResearch, among all online game users, the proportion of college degree or above has reached 62.8%. It can be seen that the main users of web games belong to high consumption groups and have strong purchasing power and demand, and this user attribute will be the basis for the future value explosion of web game advertisements.

The mobile Internet is coming to us with excitement. Mobile Internet is a world without Microsoft and full of opportunities to imagine. Lei Jun, who retired in Lian Gang, also took a fancy to the mobile Internet and made investments. In this sense, web games are specially prepared for the future mobile Internet era. Twitter, which has become popular abroad, and facebook, which began to appear, are all mobile applications of the Web, so it should happen soon that web games enter the mobile Internet, which is an impossible task for traditional online games based on clients.

Web-based online games are the trend, and traditional online games enjoy the last supper.

The author mentioned the web wave in front of this article, and the final result of the web wave will be the mobile Internet. Web games do not need to mount the client, which makes it easier for web games to enter the mobile Internet. Even in the future mobile Internet era, web games will not fall behind. From this we find that web games are actually a sunrise industry. At present, both adobe and Microsoft have launched their own next-generation rich application plans, because they both understand that the Internet belongs to the web!

After a simple analysis, we can see an outline, more accurately, the direction: the web is ruling the Internet, and the online game industry is no exception. Web games are likely to become grave diggers of traditional online games. Traditional online games have reached a critical point, and now they are enjoying their last dinner. In fact, a web game has appeared in the game charts in Europe and America, and the Internet in China is partial to entertainment. Maybe this process will be delayed, but it won't be long, and it will definitely come!

Traditional online games, especially domestic online games, have long been meaningless and original, let alone innovative. At the same time, the crowd of traditional online games is too concentrated on teenagers, which makes teenagers addicted to internet cafes and destroys many children. It is well known that the Internet in developed countries such as Europe and the United States is mainly instrumental, while the Internet in China is mainly entertaining, but there is also a knowledge that the Internet in China is also changing quietly, the education of netizens is getting higher and higher, and the use of the Internet is slowly changing; Office networking has gradually spread in China, and the number of white-collar workers working online has increased rapidly, which has brought unprecedented opportunities to web games.

Development and Market Analysis of Web Games

In the past two years, especially in the past year, web games at home and abroad have sprung up with each passing day.

So, what is the reason for the rise of web games? As a new thing, what will be the past, present and future of web games? From the perspective of game manufacturers, how do we view its market and production characteristics?

1. From the point of view of the game market and users, web games are definitely not mainstream games, nor can they become mainstream. But it meets the needs of some people and adapts to a market segment.

Marketing experts say that you can't sell everything to everyone, and it is often rewarding to dig deep into niche markets. Who are the few people who play web games? According to the poll of China Web Game Forum, the people who play web games are mainly white-collar workers (60.39%) and students (32.63%). White-collar workers are characterized by high work pressure and limited time and energy to play games. But in any case, for white-collar workers, the need for entertainment, especially the need to relax in busy work, has always existed. Play Warcraft or Magic Domain intermittently at work? Unless you eat leopard gall! The boss found out that he had to fire you! Even if the boss doesn't care, you are too tired to work. Do you still have the energy to run in the game and keep chopping monsters? At this time, how about opening the browser and playing web games at leisure? You suddenly become relaxed and interesting, and the boss thinks you are looking up information online. Therefore, the most basic characteristics of web games are obviously not gorgeous pictures and superb 3D technology, but have stung the long-hidden game and entertainment nerves of office workers, who have no time and are afraid of hard work. The lightweight entertainment provided by web games takes less time and is simple to operate, giving busy and nervous office workers a rare sense of relaxation and pleasure. That's why it exists. We also noticed a detail, that is, players who play online games of Warcraft do not exclude playing web games. I know a friend who goes home to play Warcraft at night, and occasionally opens a browser to manage his village in Travian when he goes to work during the day. One is the mainstream, the other is a tributary, the other is a heavyweight masterpiece, and the other is a lightweight entertainment. Each has its own style, and each has its own gameplay. A big meal does not prevent the existence of exquisite side dishes. If the existence is reasonable, then the existence of this new game form, web games, is not only reasonable, but also reasonable in its development: because there is market demand.

2. There is more favorable space than traditional online games.

Although web games can be played as long as they can surf the Internet, legends and Warcraft are irreplaceable. It is precisely because of the convenience of participation that it is most likely to collect white-collar workers who are trapped in high-end office buildings all day.

The data can also support this point: A recent online survey conducted by China Web Game Forum showed that 60% of white-collar respondents among netizens said that it was acceptable to try web games in the future, which was higher than the 30% acceptance of student respondents.

What can't be underestimated is that web games have just won the players who have the ability to pay among netizens. White-collar players are characterized by high work pressure and little time and energy to play games, but they have enough money in their wallets and are willing to invest it in their favorite online entertainment methods. From the perspective of online game operators, this is obviously more favorable than traditional online games.

Moreover, the white-collar army of netizens in China is not inferior to the majority of online game players. According to the statistics of relevant departments, among the 65.438+72 billion netizens in China, online game players account for 30%, and white-collar workers account for more than 40% of the remaining 70% population, that is, more than 56.5438+0 million people. According to the proportion of 60% white-collar workers who are interested in web games, this new network form, supported by strong ability to pay, is obviously a fertile ground for people robbed by web games.

3. From the game maker's point of view, the greatest contribution of web games is to provide a low threshold for getting rich and becoming famous.

Why do you say that? Web games are naturally online games. Here, the details of network communication are realized and shielded by the browser, and game developers can realize online games cheaply without buying expensive online games engines. This is of great significance to the game manufacturers in China. Because in the environment of rampant piracy in China, stand-alone games, whether on PC or mobile phone, whether shoddy or painstakingly managed products, are not profitable. Games in China to make money, to make a profit, can only rely on online games. The development cost of traditional PC online games is huge, which has become a game between several monopoly giants. The emergence of web games has greatly lowered the threshold of online game production, so that small companies or teams with insufficient funds can choose to try their luck in web games. At this time, the magic weapon to win is innovation, creativity and deep excavation of players' needs. Web games have become "online games that poor people can afford".

4. In terms of audience capacity, web games have natural advantages. Anyone who can surf the Internet through a browser is a potential audience of web games.

This group is huge. How big is it? According to CNNIC survey in 2007, the number of netizens in China reached 654.38+37 billion, ranking second in the world. According to market statistics, in 2006, China's online game revenue was 5.9 billion, and the population reached 70%. Among them, the arrival rate of QQ games is 37% (50 million people), Lianzhong is 20% (27 million people), and Shanda is 19%. Here is a detail worth studying: Why is the arrival rate of QQ games much higher than Shanda? Because of QQ, it provides a simplified way. People are lazy and like to achieve their goals with little effort. QQ games can be realized with one click on QQ, but Shanda does not have this weapon, and Lianzhong does not have this weapon. The arrival rate of the game is closely related to the simple way. Similarly, web games, using browsers, simplify the way of game experience to the extreme: anyone who can surf the internet can play web games "without downloading anything, spending money or waiting", just input URL. This simplification is revolutionary, in sharp contrast with PC online games. PC online games need to download more than 300M clients (some even exceed 1G), which cannot be compared with the convenience of web games. Therefore, web games have a huge potential audience, and the process of experiencing games is simplified to the extreme. Its development potential can not be ignored. What is lacking now is a good game.

5. Web games are first and foremost games, and the stickiness of games is far greater than that of ordinary websites. According to media reports, according to a report recently released by Parks Associates, an American market research organization, online games are still the favorite entertainment mode of American netizens, despite the popularity of online videos and social networking sites. The data shows that 34% of American adult netizens play online games every week, 29% watch video sites such as YouTube, and 19% visit social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Coincidentally. It can be said that many so-called Web2.0 are far worse than web games in attracting and sticking to netizens. On the other hand, web games are one of the best practices of web2.0. The situation in China is different from that in Europe and America, and the Internet is regarded as a huge entertainment platform, so this is more practical. Those so-called web2.0 websites that wriggle and copy foreign models might as well give up immediately and go directly to play web games. From the profit point of view, web games have more operating space than web2.0, and it is convenient to advance and retreat. Now, props or membership fees can be charged, and there is a direct cash inflow; To take a step back, you can implant advertisements in the game, and the forms of advertisements are diversified, so you can deeply implant advertisements in the game. It can be said that in terms of profitability, a good web game is much stronger than the general Web2.0 website. It's the same old saying: what is lacking now is a good game.

The prospect is promising, hungry wolves are everywhere, and the industry needs to be standardized and rectified.

The low threshold of web games means low research and development costs. Many companies believe that a dozen people can launch a product in three to five months by using flash technology. It is this that many manufacturers are optimistic about, and nearly 100 web game studios have erupted around the world: traditional game manufacturers, online media companies, mobile game companies, and community websites. They are optimistic about the transformation of the web game market and the development of web games, and they are bound to share a piece of the action.

At present, many players regard web games as mini-games. Many reasons are because the development time is too short or even the technology is not perfect, and after playing for a few days, I lost confidence in the game. Therefore, they misunderstood the definition of web games. I hope all development teams can learn from it.

Many R&D studios spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop a product in three to five months, but they ignore the life of web games. The life of a game is limited by the playability of the game. How playable can a product that has been developed for three to five months be? Take the traditional mmo game as an example. It takes 50 people a year to develop a product, and an information film must be extended every three to five months at most, otherwise the life of the game will come to an end. And how long can a dozen people develop game products in three to five months? A month? Three months? Although this is only a reasoning, the seriousness of the problem warns us not to simply develop products and try to launch and occupy the game market quickly. Even if there are some users, what about two months or three months later? Will they get lost? Will you get it back if you lose it? Will players add the word garbage before your company's definition?

Follow the trend, Hangzhou people call it "Han Erfeng", and some people call it "follow the trend". Of course, this title is slightly indecent. They all say: I will go wherever I can get rich, and I will go wherever I have money. It was discovered that bullfrogs made a fortune, so the whole people raised bullfrogs in China, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. As a result, it can be imagined that except for a few large families, most people lost their money. And Clivia, as everyone knows. At that time, a pot of Clivia was fired to the price equivalent to gold, and later more and more people began to plant it. When you came to the three northeastern provinces of that era, you saw Clivia with uneven quality everywhere. The overall quality was lowered and the market was dragged down.

Today's web games are also facing the same situation. Seeing online games can also make money, even after making a lot of money. The character of following the trend broke out from me again, so we saw that one web game with different quality, specifications and technology began to appear in the market, and you came and went to make money. Some games, which have not been developed at all, are only semi-finished products at best, and they are also taken out to show off the market, collecting money in the name of fine products and collecting a lot of money from tests. These tricks began to decline after being seen through by the above-mentioned discerning and critical intellectuals. After that, like dominoes, one group fell down. This not only ruined the manufacturers themselves, but also affected the whole industry to some extent. And reputation, for a new sunrise industry, is extremely important. When reputation is destroyed, it is difficult to build it again. We can't say anything else about this. There are only two ways. First, we should quickly establish an industry rule. Secondly, we should appeal to these manufacturers for mercy. In a word, the prospect of web games is very clear. What we need is the standardization and rectification of the industry, and the following characteristics of Chinese people can't ruin this industry.

The above talked about the inevitability of the development of web games, audience analysis, superficial market analysis, and the hidden dangers at present. Let's make some predictions. May be inaccurate, right for reference:

1 RIA is still developing at present, and the overall development momentum of web games is promising. At present, the web game market is developing rapidly.

2. Web games can't be mainstream games, but they have their own market segments. If you dig deep into this market segment, you can also live a delicious life. The most important thing is to tap the needs of niche markets and see their boundaries clearly. You must know what you can and can't do. It is not necessarily wise to force yourself to achieve the effect that you are not good at in web games.

3. We will see more and more small and medium-sized companies involved in web games, and more individuals and interest groups. The capital investment in this area will gradually increase.

4. There will be portals or forums dedicated to web games, such as the top web game channel www.webgame86.com. This kind of portal website provides comprehensive and up-to-date web game information and game publishing platform, and it is also a platform for players to exchange ideas.

5. The entry threshold of web games is low, and the competition will be fierce. There are many products, high elimination rate and few fine products. Domestic web games can't be compared with foreign countries in terms of design concept, gameplay design and details handling, so there will be a stage of imitation and plagiarism for one to two years. The competition of domestic web games, in the final analysis, is how to dig deep into the needs of players and how to design the best game according to the interests of local players and the characteristics of web games themselves.

6. Web games will jointly develop to mobile phone WAP and j2me, which are cross-platform and will not just stay in the form of web pages. Multi-platform audience coverage and profit space are greater. Beijing Fit Unlimited Company has taken the first step in this regard. One of its products appears on both web pages and mobile phones, which is not only a web game, but also a j2me graphic mobile online game. Both platforms access the same server.

7. After a period of development (about two years), there will probably be about five predators. Predators may be in three situations:

1) a small local company that has survived the competition and developed slowly. They win with creative, distinctive products and quick response.

2) Strong communities enter on the basis of a large number of users, integrate with the community, take all, and win-win with huge users and communities.

3) The new company established by capital through merger and acquisition mainly focuses on web games and wins with capital.

However, the emergence of predators cannot monopolize this market. Small fish and shrimp can still survive and grow in this promising land of web games by creativity, localized design and accumulation.