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Online Gaming Rides on the Orient Express

With a massive surge of consumer Internet users in recent years, the online gaming market has a bright future in the Asia/Pacific region, according to In-Stat.

If you are searching for momentum in online gaming growth, then look to the Orient. Total online games market revenues for Asia/Pacific in 2005 stood at $3.2 billion and will rise to $6.8 billion in 2010, the high-tech market research firm says.

"The increase in speed and consistency of Internet connections provided by ISPs and telecom operators continues to greatly facilitate development of online gaming," says Bryan Wang, In-Stat analyst. "Online games are no longer restricted to slow-action strategy games."

Clearly, European and North American broadband service providers can learn much from the success of their Asia/Pacific peer group -- who have decisively moved beyond the passive 'speeds and feeds' marketing approach, and risen to the interactive realm of consumer engagement.

In-Stat's study found the following:

- 53.2 percent of respondents to an In-Stat consumer Internet survey in Asia/Pacific indicated that they play online games.

- Japan is expected to lead the regional online gaming market with estimated revenue of $2.8 billion by 2010.

- China will be the second-largest market in the region, with revenue of $2.1 billion by 2010.

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