Why is CrossFire so popular in Asia?

Following yesterday’s news that CrossFire is the top earning free-to-play game in the world, there has been quite a bit of confusion in the West as to what, exactly, is going on here.

Some of that can probably just be chalked up to Anglo-centrism — what do you mean a game we’ve never heard of is making so much money? — but to be honest, I had the same question after playing the game myself. It’s old-fashioned, ugly-looking, and it seems like there are so many better options. Why is Asia crazy for CrossFire?

• Consistency. In general, Asian gamers aren’t as demanding about always having something new to play. Just look at the top ten hottest games in China right now; half of them are at least five years old. Only two could be considered “new” games. CrossFire may look and feel a bit outdated to Western games, but Asian gamers are more concerned with how it plays. And on that front, CrossFire has a been a stable, known entity more or less since its launch. If you like fast-paced multiplayer shooters, it has been the best Asia-based option for years now, and it tends to keep the players it picks up.
• Accessibility. Although there are tons of shooter options out there, if you like fast-paced competitive multiplayer shooters, you’re probably going to want a game that you can play on nearby servers so there’s no lag. And if you’re playing a free-to-play game with microtransactions, you’re also going to want a game that easily and conveniently accepts the currency you already have via the e-payment accounts you already have. In China, for example, that means you want to be able to pay in RMB using Alipay, not have to convert to USD and go through the hassle of setting up a PayPal account. And that cuts down your options quite a bit, as most game companies outside Asia rarely bother to offer these kinds of conveniences to Asian gamers.
• Internet-cafe friendly. A lot of Asian gamers are still playing games at internet cafes, and those at home aren’t always playing with high-powered gaming rigs. One of the big advantages CrossFire has over other, more modern shooters is that it’ll run smoothly on basically anything. It’ll also be pre-installed and pretty prominent on most internet cafe PCs, so if you’re new to the FPS genre and wanted to try something out over the past six-or-so years, there’s a decent chance CrossFire was the first thing you clicked on.
• Easy learning curve. It’s not easy to be good at CrossFire, but learning how to play it takes about three seconds: point gun at enemy, pull trigger. There aren’t even sights to aim down. That means it’s super easy to pick up, but it takes a lot of strategy, skill-development, and purchased equipment to truly master the game. That means it’s got the perfect one-two punch for game stickiness: simple enough for anyone to start playing, deep enough that people keep playing for years.

Want to see CrossFire in action?

Let's play CrossFire: does the new update live up to the hype? (VIDEO)