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China to get Ouya games and CMGE looks to rollout out free wifi

Weekly taster from the Middle Kingdom

China to get Ouya games and CMGE looks to rollout out free wifi

Not only is China one of the largest markets for mobile gaming, it's also one of the most dynamic.

There's the broad shift from feature phones (and no phones at all) to a potentially billion-strong smartphone market.

More specifically for games, the PC client and browser market is transitioning to mobile, while the lack of Google Play as a distribution channel for Android content has resulted in an explosion in local app stores.

For these reasons, and more, the Chinese market is a heady and ever-changing mix, which is why PocketGamer.biz has hooked up with GameGrapes (aka Youxiputao) to bring you a weekly digest of the freshest and most tasty Chinese mobile gaming news.


Click here to view the list »
  • 1 Ouya announces China deal with Xiaomi

    Xiaomi - 'China's Apple' - has announced it will be bringing Ouya games to China.

    The deal will see the high-end Android OEM making hardware - mainly set-top boxes - that will plug into the Ouya sofware platform, enabling Chinese gamers to get a livingroom experience much cheaper than the rival console offerings from Sony and Microsoft.

    Of course, given Ouya's less-than-successful operations in the west, it will be interesting to see how Chinese gamers react to it, especially given their preference for locally-developed content - at least when it comes to mobile games.


  • 2 Baidu will publish game based on comic IP Slam Dunk

    Best known for its search engine, Chinese outfit Baidu has been trying to build up its app distribution power ever since it bought 91 Wireless in a $1.9 billion deal in 2013.

    It's also looking to beef up its direct publishing activity, something underlined by the news it will publish Slam Dunk.

    Developed by DeNA China and Toei Animation, the core gameplay combines sports and card collection. Players will be able to collect characters card from the Slam Dunk  comic to form their own basketball team.

    Slam Dunk  is a sports-themed manga series that written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue in the Shonen Jump manga about a basketball team. It's since been adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation, which was broadcast worldwide, enjoying much popularity in Japan, several other Asian countries and Europe.


  • 3 CMGE invests in Mobimirage provider Beijing Super Flash

    When it comes to game engines, most of the talk in China is of Unity or Chukong's Cocos2d-x. However, there are other options.

    CMGE has announced it has invested in and formed a strategic partnership with Beijing Super Flash Software to make its Mobimirage game engine available to all developers.

    The move seems to be a broadly defensive one that will see CMGE try to build out its network of developers, as well as giving it an internal technology that means it won't have to use Cocos2d-x, which remains a strong presence in a Chinese development market that's still focused on 2D games.


  • 4 CMGE to roll out free wifi networks to boost UA

    One of the interesting differences in the Chinese mobile market compared to western markets is how much basic infrastructure work game publishers have to do to make a sale.

    An example is the lack of good data connections, especially in the Tier II and III cities where the bulk of Chinese consumers live.

    This is an issue for mobile game publishers because, unless they can find a free wifi hotspot, people won't download big files or go online to play their games.

    With that in mind, CMGE has announced it's hooking up with a number of free wifi service providers so it can better distribute its games. "We believe our user acquisition resulting from the expansion of free wifi networks will increase significantly in the upcoming few quarters," it stated.

    Rival publisher Snail Games announced something similar at ChinaJoy 2014.


  • 5 Shanghai BlazeFire to develop Longmen Express mobile game

    Shanghai BlazeFire has announced it has the licence to publish a game based on the famous Chinese TV series Longmen Express. The game is already in development for iOS and Android.

    If you haven't heard about Shanghai BlazeFire before, it was founded in 2010, developing games such as Idiot Soldier, Commander and Game Clans.

    As for Longmen Express, it's a drama/comedy series which follows a group of workers at a security and delivery agency.


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