Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[StarCraft 2 open beta begins in China on March 29]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/starcraft-2-open-beta-begins-in-china-on-march-29/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/starcraft-2-open-beta-begins-in-china-on-march-29/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/starcraft-2-open-beta-begins-in-china-on-march-29/#comments Just as we experienced here in the United States, mainland China is about to undergo a beta testing period for StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty. Ever since striking a deal back in 2008, Blizzard and NetEase have been working to bring the game to the country -- on March 29, that deal will come to fruition.

Anxious gamers in the region can pre-load the beta client -- provided they have a Battle.net account or at least a willingness to register -- which will grant access to all of StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty's multiplayer modes. Upon the conclusion of the unspecified beta period, Blizzard and NetEase will launch the game commercially, allowing players to buy 30-day access passes to the game for a suggested price of RMB 20 ($3.04). It's in line with a pricing structure that Blizzard outlined a year ago.

To pre-load the Chinese beta client, head on over to Blizzard's site.

JoystiqStarCraft 2 open beta begins in China on March 29 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betablizzardchinaneteaseopen-betapcStarcraft-2Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst: Call of Duty Online could make $100 million in its first year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/analyst-call-of-duty-online-could-make-100-million-in-its-firs/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/analyst-call-of-duty-online-could-make-100-million-in-its-firs/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/analyst-call-of-duty-online-could-make-100-million-in-its-firs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rumors have been flying around about a subscription-based Call of Duty game for some time now -- Activision boss Bobby Kotick loves the idea, because he loves money, and the company's other subscription-based game, World of Warcraft, is quite the cash-printing machine. So why not go down that road?

Many still believe Activision will, including Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey. With the publisher's plans to break into China and Korea, Hickey told IndustryGamers he sees Call of Duty as the perfect platform for accomplishing that goal and strengthening ties with NetEase, the online powerhouse of the Chinese market. "We expect the Company [NetEase] could extend their relationship with Activision Blizzard, by establishing an additional license to operate Call of Duty Online in China and Blizzard's unannounced MMO, which will likely leverage their Battle.net platform," he said. "The eventuality of COD in China could bring an additional +$50 to +$100 million in sales and +$0.15 to +$0.30 in EPS in its first year of operation." EPS, to clarify, is short for "earnings per share."

Who knows what's in store for the future, but for now, rest assured: you won't ever have to fork over extra cash to play Modern Warfare 2 online.

JoystiqAnalyst: Call of Duty Online could make $100 million in its first year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardanalystblizzardcall-of-dutycall-of-duty-onlinechinajanco-partnerskoreamike-hickeyneteaseFri, 30 Jul 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese World of Warcraft project chief resigns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/chinese-world-of-warcraft-project-chief-resigns-from-netease/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/chinese-world-of-warcraft-project-chief-resigns-from-netease/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/chinese-world-of-warcraft-project-chief-resigns-from-netease/#comments Just when it seemed that NetEase had finally gotten things under control to operate World of Warcraft in China, it's hit another potential road bump. The company released an official statement to Chinese press announcing the resignation of project chief Li Riqiang, according to JLM Pacific Epoch, a research firm that focuses on China. The statement did not give a specific explanation for Riqian's departure nor did it name a possible replacement to fill the seemingly important vacancy.

Since taking over World of Warcraft operations in China from The9, NetEase has faced a series of difficulties. It seemed like the company had finally gotten back on track, however, as NetEase was recently approved to run World of Warcraft and the Burning Crusade expansion. It's as yet unclear how Li's absence might sour that good fortune.

[Via GI.biz]

JoystiqChinese World of Warcraft project chief resigns originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardburning-crusadechinachinesejlm-epochli-riqiangmmommorpgneteaseoperationpressstatementworld-of-warcraftThu, 25 Feb 2010 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[NetEase approved to operate World of Warcraft in China]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/netease-approved-to-operate-world-of-warcraft-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/netease-approved-to-operate-world-of-warcraft-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/netease-approved-to-operate-world-of-warcraft-in-china/#comments Is it ... possible? Can it be? Has the seemingly endless struggle to get World of Warcraft back online in China finally ended? Digital East Asia reports that China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) has approved NetEase's request for a license to operate the game and its expansion pack, The Burning Crusade. The government body issued a statement saying NetEase "has taken necessary corrective measures" to address GAPP's issues with the game. (We're assuming a few more monsters got deskeleton-ized.)

Though Chinese WoW players should be able to get back to their regularly scheduled grinding soon, it's unlikely that they'll ever gain access to any of the game's future expansions. But ... that's okay. They don't really add anything cool to the game. Death Knights? Pssh. Werewolves? More like Snorewolves, right?

[Via Massively]

JoystiqNetEase approved to operate World of Warcraft in China originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-BlizzardbanBlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentBurning-CrusadechinaMMOneteaseWorld-of-WarcraftWorld-of-Warcraft-The-Burning-CrusadeWoWThu, 18 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NetEase temporarily suspending WoW account creation in China]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/netease-temporarily-suspending-wow-account-creation-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/netease-temporarily-suspending-wow-account-creation-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/netease-temporarily-suspending-wow-account-creation-in-china/#comments Though the legal and political struggle between China's General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) and Ministry of Culture over whether World of Warcraft should be allowed in the country rages on, the game's operator, NetEase, is taking matters into its own hands. According to Reuters, the operator is suspending new user registrations for one week, starting today. During this time, NetEase execs will be waiting on pins and needles -- they recently re-submitted an application to operate WoW and The Burning Crusade directly to the GAPP.

In other words, you can probably expect another installment in the seemingly endless Chinese World of Warcraft saga within the next seven days. We can't wait!

JoystiqNetEase temporarily suspending WoW account creation in China originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinagappministry-of-culturemmommorpgneteaseworld-of-warcraftMon, 08 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[China close to announcing punishment for WoW operator]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/china-close-to-announcing-punishment-for-wow-operator/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/china-close-to-announcing-punishment-for-wow-operator/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/china-close-to-announcing-punishment-for-wow-operator/#comments JLM Pacific Epoch reports that, according to an unnamed source, the World of Warcraft struggle between China's General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) and Ministry of Culture (which has MMORPG operator NetEase stuck in the middle) may be near an end.

For those joining us late: GAPP said that it was illegal for NetEase to be collecting subscription fees on a game GAPP hadn't approved. NetEase continued collecting fees, because the game had been approved by the MoC when it was under the control of former operator The9. The exact opposite of hilarity ensued.

According to JLM's source, the two sides have reached an agreement and will announce the agreed-upon "punishment" in the middle of this month. Here's hoping NetEase isn't forced to relinquish all of its DKP.

[Via GamePolitics]

JoystiqChina close to announcing punishment for WoW operator originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchinagapplegalmacministry-of-cultureneteaseworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 04 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The9 posts 94 percent drop in Q3 revenues after losing WoW]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/the9-posts-94-percent-drop-in-q3-revenues-after-losing-wow/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/the9-posts-94-percent-drop-in-q3-revenues-after-losing-wow/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/the9-posts-94-percent-drop-in-q3-revenues-after-losing-wow/#comments Mother of pearl! We thought it was safe to assume that Shanghai-based MMO operator The9 would lose a chunk of its revenue after handing the license for World of Warcraft over to competing company NetEase. By "a chunk" we, of course, meant "a fraction." Not "almost all revenue," which according to the company's Q3 2009 financial report, is how much it lost year-over-year after passing off the rights to run WoW.

To put it numerically, The9's revenues dropped 94 percent from the same quarter last year. A hit that big must have left a sizable dent in the ol' pocketbook -- however, we're guessing the company's board members take some small, spiteful satisfaction from the tribulations the game has brought to its new operators.

JoystiqThe9 posts 94 percent drop in Q3 revenues after losing WoW originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardchinammommorpgneteaserevenuethe9world-of-warcraftwowFri, 27 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW 'rejected' in China, government at odds with itself over decision ]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/wow-rejected-in-china-government-at-odds-with-itself-over-dec/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/wow-rejected-in-china-government-at-odds-with-itself-over-dec/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/wow-rejected-in-china-government-at-odds-with-itself-over-dec/#comments

China's General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) has ordered NetEase, which has been operating World of Warcraft in the region since September, to cease collecting subscription payments and signing up new players for the game immediately, calling these acts "illegal behavior." According to a report by the site JLM Pacific Epoch, the GAPP (most recently in the news for outlawing foreign investment in Chinese online gaming) has suspended its review of the game and returned NetEase's application to operate it in the country.

For its part, NetEase claims it has yet to receive any sort of official decree from GAPP. At the same time, an official from China's Ministry of Culture is said to have stated that GAPP's actions are "not appropriate." The situation now becomes one of which agency has final say, and if it's simply "shut it down," why.

We're pretty sure this isn't the kind of Cataclysm Chinese WoW fans were hoping for.

[Via WoW.com]

Source -- GAPP Halts WoW Review
Source -- GAPP Says No for the Operation of WoW in China
Source -- NeatEase statement regarding announcement by GAPP

JoystiqWoW 'rejected' in China, government at odds with itself over decision originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchinagappneteaseworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 03 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese World of Warcraft servers are back online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/chinese-world-of-warcraft-servers-are-back-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/chinese-world-of-warcraft-servers-are-back-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/chinese-world-of-warcraft-servers-are-back-online/#comments It seems like forever ago when we first heard that China's World of Warcraft servers were going dark to allow hosting duties to transfer from The9 to NetEase -- in all fairness, to the hardcore Blizzard enthusiast, being sans WoW can make three-and-a-half months actually feel like forever. However, according to a number of reports coming from the country, the transfer is finished, and Chinese MMO players are now able to return to their former Azerothian grind.

The title's new host, NetEase, spent a pretty penny keeping the game's servers up and running during the past month of closed beta -- approximately a million yuan (around $146,000) per day. We're not too worried about the company, however. From what we hear, China's a pretty large territory, and WoW is more addictive than chocolate-covered, heroin-soaked crack. NetEase is going to be just fine.

JoystiqChinese World of Warcraft servers are back online originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardmmommorpgneteasepcserverworld-of-warcraftMon, 21 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW has been offline for a month in China]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/wow-has-been-offline-for-a-month-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/wow-has-been-offline-for-a-month-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/wow-has-been-offline-for-a-month-in-china/#comments
We all know by now that when stripped of their narcotic/online game, World of Warcraft players tend to react ... adversely. Now, imagine that reaction spread over a nation with 1.3 billion inhabitants. For a month. Sadly, that's the gruesome scene over in China, where WoW has been offline for over 30 days, turning the nation into a veritable ocean of flailin' and wailin'.

The culprit for the lengthy disconnect is NetEase, the company who recently took over the game's server maintenance from former web operator The9. Due to "some factors which are out of our control," the game's servers have been offline for a month -- meanwhile, other MMOs are kicking their Chinese ad campaigns into high gear, attempting to sway the jilted masses. Good luck with that.

JoystiqWoW has been offline for a month in China originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchinammoneteasepcworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 08 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NetEase snags the reigns of World of Warcraft in China]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/18/netease-snags-the-reigns-of-world-of-warcraft-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/18/netease-snags-the-reigns-of-world-of-warcraft-in-china/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/18/netease-snags-the-reigns-of-world-of-warcraft-in-china/#comments
As rumor has it, Chinese internet company NetEase has a totally huge crush on Blizzard. It made its first clear attempt at courtship last August by snatching up the rights to operate Battle.net in China, but a recent press release from Blizzard revealed the company's biggest, Say Anything-esque display of affection to date -- NetEase will be taking over operating duties for World of Warcraft when current operator The9's contract expires June 8.

Of course, if NetEase wanted to win over the hearts of the Chinese MMO-playing population, they'd push for the release of Wrath of the Lich King, which still hasn't dropped in the region. Chinese news site DoNews reports that NetEase has licensed Wrath, though they haven't made any formal announcements regarding its release.

[Via Massively]

JoystiqNetEase snags the reigns of World of Warcraft in China originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchinammoneteaseoperatorthe9world-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 18 Apr 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China online gaming trends]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/02/china-online-gaming-trends/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/02/china-online-gaming-trends/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/02/china-online-gaming-trends/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

China online gaming update
BusinessWeek online recently ran an article that effectively summarizes major issues in the burgeoning Chinese gaming industry, including MMO addiction, Internet population growth, and the increasing quality of China's homegrown titles. Also, the horse armor debate may soon find new life overseas, as there are plans for several Chinese game operators to switch from a subscription-based revenue model to the sale of virtual goods and other downloadable content "needed to advance various games".

The article is supplemented by a slideshow that showcases China's hottest online games, one of which hails from the States -- Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach. This is consistent with vendors I visited during a recent trip to Shanghai who claimed that DDO was among their bestsellers.

See also:

JoystiqChina online gaming trends originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessweek onlinechina internetchina online gamingddojourney to the westkorea gaminglineageneteasePCshanda interactivesoul of the ultimate nationturbine entertainmentwestward journeyWed, 02 Aug 2006 15:35:00 EST