China's online gaming industry showed strong growth momentum in 2008, with market sales totaling 18.38 billion yuan, up by 76.6% from 2007. Independently developed Chinese online games further increased their competitive edge, and their actual market sales reached 11.01 billion yuan, up by 60% from 2007, accounting for 59.9% of the online gaming market.

The 2008 Survey Report on China's Gaming Industry released during the industry's annual conference shows that, by October 2008, China's online gaming industry had a workforce of 24,768 people and had already independently developed 286 online games, including 33 games that have entered overseas markets to make over 500 million yuan in sales.

Zhang Yijun, director of the science, technology and digital publication department under the General Administration of Press and Publication, said that in 2008 online games played an outstanding role in stimulating revenue in related industries. Online games helped to produce 31.28 billion yuan of direct income for the telecommunications industry, 11.24 billion yuan of direct income for the IT industry and 5.32 billion yuan of direct income for publishing and media industries, mostly generated from magazines and books related to gaming. Experts estimate that, by 2013, actual sales revenue of China's online gaming market will reach 39.76 billion yuan.

By People's Daily Online