Chinese Video/Computer Games

Here's another pic of Black Ops 2 where it looks like they have to secure what looks similar to an ASBM.

Posted: Tue., Jul. 3, 2012, 10:23am PT

'Call of Duty' heads to China

Activision Blizzard, Tencent ink long-term deal

By Marc Graser

"Call of Duty" is ready to invade China.
Activision Blizzard has inked a long-term deal with Tencent, China's leading Internet service provider, to launch its wildly successful military franchise in the region as "Call of Duty Online."

With videogame consoles like Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 not having much of a presence in China -- devices on which "Call of Duty" is played in the U.S. -- Activision needed to develop an alternate way for the game to be played in the country.

As a result, Activision said it is introducing "a new gaming model designed specifically for the Chinese market," that comes in the form of a free multiplayer version of "Call of Duty" that can be accessed on PCs and played online at the more than 140,000 Internet cafes that operate in China. Activision generates revenue from microtransactions -- weapons upgrades, character enhancements and the purchase of new weapons to the series made through an in-game store.

"In most Western markets, games are played on a console," Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, told Variety. "Here, they're played in a place, in an Internet cafe, making it a very social experience."

"Call of Duty Online" "is a completely different game" than what players are used to anywhere else in the world, said Kotick, adding that "it's unlikely that the game would be successful in any other market."

Activision Publishing has been developing "Call of Duty Online" with Tencent over the past two years through its Shanghai studio. Tencent has the exclusive license to operate "Call of Duty Online" in mainland China.

The Internet company will help with the technical aspects of the game but also market the title through its instant messaging, email and microblogging systems.

"We are thrilled to work with the world's premiere game developer and publisher to bring this much-awaited title to Chinese game players," said Martin Lau, president of Tencent. "We believe 'Call of Duty Online' will attract tens of millions of loyal fans in China, and our game platform and operational expertise to run massive multi-player online games can provide strong support to deliver the immersive and highly interactive game experience to game players in China."

Deal with Tencent is similar to pacts Hollywood's film studios are brokering in China for the co-production of films.

"You're required to have a partner in China if you're a game company," Kotick said. "Even if we didn't have one, they do so much that would be hard for us to do and duplicate. They have so much reach and knowledge of the marketplace."

Until now, Activision scored with Blizzard's "World of Warcraft" and "Starcraft," which are also played online.

"We think China is one of the most exciting places in the world for us to grow our business and to develop innovative new games," Kotick said.

Contact Marc Graser at [email protected]





Apparently Activision is releasing a Chinese version of Call of Duty available in China only. By the video interview the answer to the question if anyone in the US can get this version the guy answers people in the West wouldn't be interested in playing it. Why? Because either it's a lesser version (at the same cost to develop a game in the US as mentioned?) or Westerners wouldn't want to play a Chinese? I don't know why because it's probably a good bet the story doesn't have West as the enemy which is probably being assumed. Would be interesting to see some pics.

Honestly, there isn't that many FPS games where China is the enemy. The only ones I can think of is Battlefield, Homefront (implied), and Black Ops 2. Candidates for villain countries include:
1. China - China is kind of the idea villain country at the moment because it has a big population, enough resources, and small technology gap compared to US.
2. USSR/Russia has been the villain in almost every modern era FPS game. It has been the villain so many times it is kind of old and predictable now.
3. Nazi Germany/Imperial Japan can be only used in WW2 FPS games, which are not popular anymore.
4. Terrorists are just boring. Not many people like the FPS games set in some middle eastern country killing terrorists. One reason why Battlefield is being outperformed by COD
5. North Korea can be used as a villain but everyone know this is just unrealistic. The new movie coming out call "Red Dawn" will be horrible as it replaced North Korea instead of China as the invaders in order to please the Chinese audience.
6. Aliens is just a whole new genre as it is not considered "realistic" FPS.

Red Dawn is never going to be shown in China regardless. Hollywood didn't change the movie so it can be shown in China. They changed it so they don't lose money from any other movie not shown in China as a result of Chinese ire.

Just found this game: Kerbal Space Program
[video=youtube;5wlhz7s4J78]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wlhz7s4J78&feature=relmfu[/video]

Basically you build your own rockets and plan your own space missions! (including moon landing, orbiting, etc.)
I think it's pretty fun, the game itself is still under development (only at V0.16 atm). It has a free demo using the V0.13 content.

Do you have a download link?

no_name said:

Do you have a download link?

Click to expand...

Free demo is V0.13. It also works on MAC!

and a series of youtube tutorial videos:

I finished Bioshock Infinite. It's a beautiful game that takes place I think is 1913. There's this side story about how the villain who created a city called Columbia, floating in the air with balloons and propellers, split from the US because he was let down by the government in the Boxer Rebellion. So there's a part where you walk through a carnival where one of the exhibitions shows his depiction of the Boxer Rebellion and it's all these cardboard cutouts of villainous Chinese caricatures that come out to scare you. That was done quite well. It felt like you were there during that time and how something like that would be depicted. Game play... sort of a let down because it's just a basic first person shooter. The story is good but it reminded me of the TV show FRINGE and then there's a twist ending. The original Bioshock was more creepy to me because the whole population of that underwater city went insane so you see these people walking around being crazy.

I was reading background on this game and apparently there was a revolt by some of the staff who ended up quitting because of the heavy religious theme and depiction of racism by that religion. Of course the religion had Christian-like preaching elements but basically the villain was the god of that religion like the Kims of North Korea were.

Does anyone play the wargame series? First one was Wargame: European Escalation and second one (still in beta) is the new AirLand Battle.

Does anyone know what video game this is? These pics were captured from a trailer for the game. It has J-31s flying off the Liaoning.