By The video game market in China is very different from that in most of the rest of the world. It's a landscape where the Xbox 360 isn't even officially supported, and game consoles in general are very hard to come by. Despite this, online games are still extremely popular, and internet cafes are a bustling business, with some gamers spending entire days within their walls. Now, for the first time, Chinese gamers will get to try their hand at one of the most popular franchises from the United States with Call of Duty Online.
The new multiplayer title is a completely fresh experience and has been in development for the past two years. The game will be played entirely online, and players will be able to play the game for no cost. Additional in-game equipment and weapon upgrades will be handled through microtransactions, with players paying a small fee for each item. This revenue model has proven to be very successful in China's gaming scene, and COD Online will be the first Call of Duty title to offer such an option.
The game will be supported in China with help from internet service provider Tencent. Tencent offers a variety of web services in China, including instant messaging and online gaming platforms, making it the perfect partner for a title that is sure to attract millions of new players. No official release date has been established, but for players outside of China, it doesn't really matter — from the debut trailer, the game looks to be a mix of maps and modes from previous COD titles already released stateside over the past five years.
This article was written by Mike Wehner and originally appeared on Tecca
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