Niko Partners, the leader in Asian Games Market Intelligence expects this year, that browser-based games will gain in popularity by 41%. That is quite a big leap.
Browser based games don’t need a client or any other form of download to play. You simply open an internet browser, go to the site, and it is instantly there.
While most games browser-based have been casual/social games, this doesn’t have to be the case. You only have to be on Facebook for 5 minutes for example to get a request for ‘Farmville’ or similar, which is a browser-based game.
Quake Live is an example of a more hardcore game, that runs directly from a browser. It doesn’t need any additional software to run, as the browser should have all that is necessary to play.
It is an old game yes, but one that runs very well using browser-based technologies.
I wouldn’t expect for a minute for browser-based games to replace other forms of gaming, but as I have mentioned, Facebook has been a huge factor in these types of games gaining ground. You could say they are similar to the Nintendo Wii, delivering games to a new audience, young and old.
I think it comes down mainly to accessibility and ease of use.
No downloading, and no hassle.
Browser based games are more similar to services like On Live than any other type of gaming service currently available in my opinion.
“The buzzword in Chinese online games today is webgames,” said Lisa Cosmas Hanson, managing partner of Niko Partners. “These games can be played at home, in offices, and in I-cafés because they do not require a download, and they are challenging enough to compete against client-based MMOGs.”
Kevin Hause, senior analyst of Niko, went on to say, “Social games captured the interest of occasional gamers, took hard-core gamers away from MMOGs, and welcomed tens of millions of new gamers to China’s games market. At Niko we believe that client-based MMOGs will continue to generate the majority of revenue in China but webgames and social games will comprise an increasing market share.”
