The online gaming market in the Asia-Pacific region is predicted to see " very rapid" growth over the next five years, according to new research.

Research firm In-Stat said that growing consumer awareness, together with new communications and computing technology, will improve the quality and variety of games and content.

Regional revenue from online games is expected to grow at an average rate of 20.6 per cent per year, reaching $21.1bn by 2013 from $5.8bn last year.

"The online gaming market in Asia-Pacific is growing in tandem with the significant increase in consumer internet use," said In-Stat analyst Stephanie Ethier.

China is now the fastest growing online games market, and is expected to become the largest market in the region next year.

While several imported games, such as World of Warcraft, have been major hits in China, more than half of online games played in the country are now developed locally.

Chinese developers have also begun to sell their online games overseas, for example to Vietnam.

Competition continues to heat up across the region as rising revenue attracts more companies.

"The number of market players is rapidly expanding, and improved content and a greater variety of games are keys to success in this market," said Ethier.

"Online games are no longer restricted to slow-action strategy games. Faster connections are allowing the popular MMORPGs to enter the mainstream.

"In turn, this is rapidly increasing consumer acceptance of the internet as an entertainment medium."