In Gangster Online on Facebook, gamers need to save up for “weapons” to commit virtual heists.
At certain moments in your life, you may want to break the rules and do something crazy–rob a bank, shoot people, and launder money.
Don’t. But you can go on Facebook and do it virtually, like many young people in Hong Kong. So far more than 200,000 Hong Kong-ers, mostly teenagers, have downloaded the new game, “The Gangsters Online.”
This game is voted as the hottest Facebook application among Hong Kong youth at present. Gamers can save money by selling pirated DVDs or working as parking packers. Of course, they could always get involved in money laundering when they need a big score.
In order to strengthen their bargaining power, gangsters need to invite their friends to join and recruit them as new members. This can make the game quite addictive. “My money would be robbed if I am not online, that is why I need to rush home ‘protect my properties” after my lessons,” a 21-year-old university student said.
“It’s quite interesting; I can buy beer and an AK-47 in this virtual world!” Sam, a 19-year-old student said.
6 Waves, the designers of the game, said they can’t believe their game would be so popular in Hong Kong–so much so that it’s turning a huge profile. Thanks to advertising dollars, 6 waves has earned HKD 600,000 just six months after launch.
As online gaming becomes a very social activity, we expect it will continue to merge with social networking in more–and more personal–ways.
- Louisa Wong, FH Hong Kong
