With console ban lifted, analysts predict $13.1 billion game market in China for 2013

Do you hear that? It’s the sounds of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft smacking their lips, just salivating at the thought of legally entering the Chinese games market.

Asian games market research firm Niko Partners predicts a $13.1 billion game market for China in 2013. This is in its China Games Market Mid-Year 2013 Update Bulletin, which includes data and analysis of video games sales for the country that has recently lifted a long-standing ban on consoles. That’s a 28 percent growth for online PC games compared to 2012 and a 60 percent increase for mobile games revenue.