14 DAY TRIAL // CDC Mobile, a business unit of CDC Corporation, announced it has launched the first "free to play, pay for merchandise" mobile game in China. The game "Mocca Beans" provides players with different block sets, each producing endless combinations in different stages. The game is free to play but players can purchase useful tools to achieve desired combinations and reach higher levels. As a multiplayer mobile game, it can be played by a large number of concurrent users online using mobile phones.
Although not as graphically advanced as PC-based online games, well-designed mobile games are increasingly being accepted by more and more mobile phone users. According to a survey by a leading professional market research company in China, 92.8 percent of mobile phone users had played games on mobile phones. By the end of January 31, 2007, mobile subscribers in China had exceeded 467 million and the mobile penetration rate had reached 35.3 percent, according to statistics from China's Ministry of Information Industry.
In addition to mobile games, CDC Mobile is also working on a variety of proprietary content to expand its 3G portfolio, including "The Straight Show," a six-minute segment of comic news program. The show is designed as a Chinese version of "The Daily Show" in the U.S., and is currently available in the form of online videos on China.com.
CDC Mobile is focused on providing consumer-based and enterprise-based mobile applications services in China. These include SMS, Interactive Voice Response, MMS and WAP applications and services. Through its companies in China, it has direct connectivity with local mobile operators in 29 provinces. In January 2007, CDC Mobile launched a $100 million investment program targeting strategic investments in leading 3G content providers in North Asia and Europe, intended to give CDC Mobile first-mover advantage in the anticipated 3G marketplace in China.