台灣線上遊戲產業的西進策略分析與營運策略建議

Abstract

「數大便是美」乃網路世界裡不變的遊戲規則，而「先發制人，後發制於人」更是線上遊戲產業不變的競爭法則! 台灣線上遊戲市場已經飽和，而鄰近的大陸市場卻仍深具開發潛力，預估未來三至五年，大陸仍將是全球成長率最高、營收規模最大的線上遊戲市場，雖然台灣領導廠商已耕耘大陸市場數載，卻似有不得其門而入之憾! 本研究亟欲深入探討其原因，並以理論分析為架構，實務經驗為輔助，尋求對應之道，希冀在台灣線上遊戲廠商擬定其大陸市場進入策略與營運策略規劃時，提供一個具體而明確的方向，俾益於台灣廠商運用其核心能力，透過賽局與競合策略，在大陸政府保護政策已構築起堅強進入障礙壁壘的大環境中，創造競爭優勢，贏得最後的勝利。 本研究結果認為: 線上遊戲產業具有典型的網路外部性特徵，其所造成的市場現象便是先行者享有優勢，強者恆強，贏者通吃等正回饋循環與套牢效應，要打破既有的網路外部性，台灣線上遊戲廠商可採取下列策略: 一、 產品服務創新:台灣廠商必須在產品與服務上創新，開發利基市場或接入 先行者之開放平台取得互補資源，獲取超額利潤的可能性較高。 二、 在地化研發:實行在大陸市場的在地化研發，貼近消費者並迅速回應市場 需求。 三、 聯合運營:採取獨資進入模式並兼採垂直互補型聯合運營可以讓台灣廠商在承擔合理而可掌控的營運風險之下，取得比單純授權模式更大的超額報酬，同時保有退出彈性與取得互補資源的利益，是十分適合台灣廠商採取的策略。 四、 創新獲利模式:遊戲與道具完全免費，採行遊戲即服務的策略，改向廣告主收費。 五、 社交網站:借力社交網站與口碑行銷來開發新客戶，建立更經濟有效的新行銷平台。

“Mass is beauty” is a never-changing rule in the cyber world. “Preemption of first mover advantage” governs all players in the online game industry! Online game market in Taiwan is gradually saturated while China market is with great potential. It is estimated that China will continue to be the largest online game market with the highest growth rate in next 3-5 years. Although Taiwanese leading companies have entered into and operated in China market for several years, they have neither been successful nor played any roles in the core of industry competition. This thesis aims to uncover the reasons behind this observation, support them with theoretical analysis and practical experience, and propose suitable solutions. Hopefully this thesis will provide a concrete and precise advice for Taiwanese on-line game companies on structuring their entry strategies and operation strategies in China market, as well as help them on better leveraging their core competencies to create competitive advantages and finally win the “Game” in the dynamically competitive environment with high entry barriers as a result of Chinese government’s protectionism policies. We believe that the online game industry is characterized by network externality. The common phenomenon includes first-mover advantage, the bigger the stronger，the winner takes all, and lock-in effect. To break the existing network externality, Taiwanese online game companies can adopt the following strategies to penetrate the mainland market: 1. Product/service innovation: Taiwanese companies need to innovate products and services, develop niche markets, get complementary resources from pre-emptive open platform operators to generate higher profits. 2. Localized R&D: Taiwanese companies should establish R&D team in local China market to better explore customers’ needs and quickly respond to market demand. 3. Collaborative Operation: Establishing wholly owned subsidiaries and adopting vertically collaborative operation strategy makes it possible for Taiwan on-line game companies to achieve higher excess pay-off than pure licensing business mode under reasonable and manageable operation risks. It can simultaneously maintain flexibility of exit and reap the benefit of complementary resources. It is considered an ideal strategy for Taiwanese companies. 4. Innovative profit model: Adopting completely free play strategy, i.e. games and widgets (virtual items) are all free for customers to play while all charges go to advertisers. 5. Social networking service websites: Taiwanese companies can leverage social networking service websites and word-of-mouth marketing to attract and develop new customers and establish a more economic and effective marketing platform.