China's millions flock to World of Warcraft

But future of game is uncertain as Blizzard eyes increased income

Simon Burns in Taipei, vnunet.com 30 May 2006

More than 4.3 million World of Warcraft user accounts were paid for and activated in China during the past year, according to the company that operates the multiplayer online game in the country.

The game's developer, Blizzard, is claiming more than six million players worldwide, suggesting that China has more players than any other nation and could already account for more than half the global total.

However, China's World of Warcraft players are still in the dark about the game's future.

The9 Ltd, which operates World of Warcraft in China under licence, admitted last week that Blizzard has still not given it permission to update the game with the forthcoming Burning Crusade expansion.

Blizzard is asking for a larger cut of the game's profits in China, sources say, and appears concerned that The9 will also operate a competing online game, Guild Wars.

But The9, which made more than $26m from the game in the first quarter, is refusing to renegotiate the terms agreed when World of Warcraft was launched in China.

Private negotiations between the two companies went public last month when Blizzard, a division of Vivendi Games, took the unusual step of announcing that The9 would have to 'negotiate' for the Burning Crusade expansion, which will be released next year.

Such expansion packs are typically played as part of the original game, and cannot be operated independently.

In the same statement, Blizzard warned that it was "actively exploring and discussing cooperation opportunities and further expansion of its business" with other companies in China.

The9 still relies on World of Warcraft for 99 per cent of its revenues, but is attempting to diversify by developing and licensing new games.

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