Virtual Playground

China's first offline "digital festival", LAN Story, attracts some 100,000 visitors, mostly young people, to the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai in August. They play all kinds of games, socialize with friends and attend live concerts at the event. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chi has been a fan of video games since he was 7 and he would get two hours of playtime as a reward for completing his homework on weekends.

He began to play the games with classmates when he was 11.

"We doubled our enjoyment playing together," says Chi.

Chi convinced his best friend from Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, to take part in the party for a reunion of sorts. It was a great opportunity to enjoy video games together again, as well as the music performances and team events with friends online and offline.

University student Guo Shuai, 18, arrived at the party at 9 pm.

His mother bought him the ticket for the event after he did the housework for a whole week.