From AFP, via Middle East Times:
China, home to the world’s second largest number of Internet users, saw sales of online games in 2004 soar 47.9 percent to 2.47 billion yuan ($298.44 million), state media reported on Tuesday.
Among China’s 94 million Internet users, 20.25 million were online games enthusiasts, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Press and Publication Administration.
In 2003 China had only 13.8 million online games players, with sales of related products and services amounting to 1.3 billion yuan.