Ministry of Culture Tuo Zuhai: The business model of online games is in imminent great change

The development of the business model of online game in our country has gone through two stages: The commercial mode of long time before 2005 is the main, while the charge is supplemented--that is, the players often say "point card System", "Monthly card System"; After 2006, according to the virtual prop charge business model, namely " Www.aliyun.com/zixun/aggregation/8572.html "> Free game Props charging mode", supplemented by other modes. Recently, the deputy Director of the Ministry of Culture Tuo Zuhai proposed: Now the online game business model is facing major changes.

"Free Mode" crisis

Tuo Zuhai analyzes the main factors of the success of the online game business model and the main aspects that affect the development of the business model of online games. "It can be expected that the network game business model will present a variety of coexistence and diversification of the situation, according to the virtual goods charge is the main business model, but facing greater risks;" Leisure game development space is very big , casual gaming community fees and games built into advertising revenue will become a growing business model; the revolutionary changes in the future of the online game business model will come mainly from new types of game rules, new technologies and marketing tools relegated to secondary positions. ”

Tuo Zuhai pointed out that the current widespread "free game charge model" is facing enormous legal risks, because the main source of revenue of the model is the sale of virtual goods in the game, but at present our country on whether the virtual goods belong to a property and the right of ownership has not been clearly defined by law. Game companies spamming virtual goods led to a substantial depreciation of virtual goods players, the player's time and money have been damaged, virtual items lost difficult to verify, virtual goods end use can not be determined and other issues more and more attention to the vast number of players, the awareness of the rights of the players are awakening. The Korean law has banned the transaction of virtual goods, stipulating that the virtual characters and virtual goods in the network games are independent of the property value of the service provider. Our legislative bodies have also studied this. If the state is clear about the legal nature of Virtual goods, the division of Ownership of Virtual goods will make the game company and the player's rights and responsibilities of the relationship between the major adjustment, and even subversion of the entire game business model, which will be a great challenge to the online gaming industry. In addition, the "Free model" also faces regulatory policy risks and the fairness of the criticism.

Gaming companies transformed into "virtual government"?

In the analysis, Tuo Zuhai mentioned a positive example is the giant network launched the "Green Journey", that the game launched not to sell materials, not sell equipment, do not sell treasure box, drop items do not bind tradable, new maps, new skills, new experience of the "five new" initiative to enhance the game experience of non-paying players, is a new exploration of the reform and perfection of this business model.

Two weeks ago, giant network president Shi Yuzhu said that from 2006 onwards, free mode to promote the rapid development of Chinese online games, high-speed development after four or five years of this business model of the drawbacks are also exposed, and for the exploration of business model, now "green Journey" is the first attempt, the second half of this year "Journey Ⅱ" Will fully launch this business model. If done well, the Giants all other products are also used in this mode.

"Green Journey" the use of a simple model, that is, the player landing game not on time charges, the game company also no longer sell props, but let the transaction between players, the game company charged "transaction tax." Guixe, vice president of the Giants, explained that after paying players to recharge from other players to buy virtual goods, in the "Green Journey" by 5% charge fees, the remaining 95% to the hands of non-paying players, so that the non-paying players also have money. And Giants no longer sell virtual props, only by charging fees for profit.

The industry will image this model as "online gaming company positioning transformation into a virtual government in the game world-it no longer sell props directly to players, but to collect administrative taxes, and provide services." In this model, online gaming companies will be easy to implement the green anti-addiction system-because the length of time the player is not directly linked to its profit; it will also be easier to advocate a fair and just game environment--because there are no more props to buy in renminbi, or equipment that can only be acquired with a strong team and a huge amount of online time. Players will interact more frequently, creating social relationships and relatively easy access to a better gaming experience.

The possibility of a change

Some clues show that the "Green journey" model exploration has attracted the attention of the industry: Perfect space-time chairman and CEO Chi said he was also concerned about the "green journey" in the business model and pay attention to the interests of non-paid players to make a useful exploration, in fact, perfect time and space has been from the Giants dug A and "green journey" Related planners. There is reason to believe that a new business model of the game will soon change. It may not be the only viable model to even explore the direction, but it should be a useful attempt.

Players who are directly affected by each change will need some time to prove themselves--when their role levels and virtual accumulation reach a higher level, the pros and cons of this model will be more clearly reflected when their mutual transactions become more frequent and larger. This process may take a quarter, a year or even longer.

Another problem that arises is that the identification of virtual property and the protection of trade will become more and more important.