An article in Sina Technology summarized by Marbridge Consulting says that Shanda will build a mobile game distribution platform for domestic and overseas players, signaling that the company acknowledges that mobile games are a relevant segment for the future of online games in China. Niko believes that mobile games will continue to rise in importance as a segment of the overall Chinese and Southeast Asian online games markets. We are watching each major online game operator for movement toward or deeper into the mobile games space. The9 is one operator who has made big strides toward mobile games in the past year, including investment in Open Feint. 

Chinese online site game.people.com says that webgames may be the future of gaming because they do not require downloads and require little time commitment to play. It is true that webgames are gaining popularity in China, but their lifecycle is merely six months on average, compared to many years for an MMOG. Webgames started as simple games but now can be quite complex. Some gamers prefer to not have a client-based game, and opt for webgame versions of MMOGs. But most popular webgames in China are developed initially to be webgames, and are not updated like MMOGs and therefore lose popularity quickly. During their popular months though, these games can generate lots of revenue. Two popular Chinese webgames, among many, are The Rich Country (富人国), and Ministry of War (帝国文明). 

Multinational corporations with offices in China have long had foreigners as their top executives, hailing from the corporate headquarters or transferred in from another successful overseas branch. In the past few years a trend has emerged placing local Chinese in these plum roles rather than expats. We have observed this in game companies as well as in other technology companies. This trend highlights the importance of the Chinese market for MNCs and gives recognition that a Chinese executive may be better suited to run a company within China. On the other hand, cross-cultural understanding is imperative for MNCs operating anywhere. Niko has observed that China's games industry would be better served with more foreign games and foreign game companies located in China to compete against the domestic giants, and that such foreign competition would help better prepare the Chinese companies to compete on the global stage during these years of internationalization. Still, China's games companies and overall market have enjoyed strong revenue growth for many years and are poised to keep on that path.