The nation’s online gaming industry is expected to see 10 percent growth this year, but growth could slow if the economy further deteriorates, said Wang Chin-po (王俊博), chairman of Soft-World International Corp (智冠科技), the nation’s largest developer and distributor of online games.
Despite the global economic slowdown, Soft-World International reported record revenues of NT$6.15 billion (US$181.95 million) last year, up 36.9 percent from a year earlier. It was the second consecutive month that the company posted record-high sales, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported yesterday.
Earnings per share last year was estimated to have reached NT$9, the report showed.
Citing a Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC) study, the CNA report said that Taiwan’s online gaming market reached NT$10.41 billion last year and is expected to grow 8.4 percent to NT$11.29 billion this year.
The online gaming market is forecast to show steady growth next year, rising 8.6 percent from this year to NT$12.26 billion, the report said.
Wang, however, said Taiwan’s online gaming market scale should have already exceeded NT$12 billion last year, aided by new game releases.
He added the market would see double-digit growth this year, as online games producers raised their output.
With consumers cutting back on spending amid the economic downturn, reports said Internet traffic has risen and benefited games producers as people turn to more cost-saving entertainment.
Wang said players may indeed be spending more time online as businesses force employees to take leave.
He added, however, that it would be hard to gauge whether this had actually contributed to a surge in online business.
“If the economic slowdown lasts for more than a year, it will also adversely affect the gaming industry as players’ salaries drop,” Wang said.
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