Inside a Chinese Internet Cafe

[Ethec]

In our continuing coverage from one of the world's most mysterious places, we take you into the nexus of the online gaming scene in China - a wang ba, or Net Bar. In vibrant downtown Shanghai, this isn't your parents' idea of China. Featuring dozens of games as well as streaming media, food, drinks, all the modern amenities, its a fascinating look into the forefront of an exploding games marketplace that's wholly foreign to how we play in the West.

Check out our latest article from ChinaJoy 2008 - Online Gaming in China: Inside an Internet Cafe.

[Kralle]

Thank you for that article, it gave a closer insight to those rumored net-cafes in china.

I would like to hear more about that topic, naybe with a focus on different asian countrys like korea and japan with the differences in net-cafes and the like.

More pictures would be also great.

[Cody Bye]

That's a great read. Kudos to you Jeff!

[Savanja]

Amazing article Jeff. It is so interesting to look upon how various cultures, particularly one as controversial as China, deal with the internet and gaming craze.

[Cody Bye]

Btw - say Hi! to the Longhurst's for me!

[Ethec]

Thanks all, it really is an eye opener for me, too. Big thanks to BigWorld for throwing the dice on Ten Ton Hammer - I wish you guys could experience it too.

The one thing that I didn't bring up in the article but want to get across is how fantastic the people here are. Their government has done some... stuff, but on a personal level, I can't get over their hospitality. I barely know two words of their language, but I've been invited - spur of the moment - into a family's house for tea. With the soft plastics initiative, shopping bags are somewhat coveted, yet a woman opened her purse and gave me a bag she saved so I could carry a few items (in addition to my event gear) to the hotel from the convenience store more easily. A colleague lost his phone in a taxi cab, only to have the cabbie spend two hours in rush hour traffic to deliver it to him the next morning, refusing anything over the fare (which is a fraction of what you'd pay in the states).

As for more pictures, you got it. Keep an eye on the ChinaJoy gallery. I promised that our coverage wouldn't be all boobs and booth babes, so its just mostly booth babes. (kidding) I have some booth pics and just crazy stuff I found interesting too, with plenty more to come. It all takes a little while to upload from here, so stay tuned.