SHANGHAI, CHINA — August 24, 2010 — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and NetEase.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES) today announced that World of Warcraft\u00ae: Wrath of the Lich King\u2122, the second expansion for Blizzard Entertainment\u2019s award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will launch in mainland China on August 31, 2010.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate the continued passion and support that Chinese players have shown for World of Warcraft, and we\u2019re working hard to ensure that they have a topnotch gaming experience when Wrath of the Lich King is released,\u201d said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. \u201cThis expansion contains some of the best content we\u2019ve ever created for the game, and we\u2019re excited that Chinese players will soon have a chance to explore everything it has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWorld of Warcraft is one of the most popular online games among Chinese players, and we believe that the new content in Wrath of the Lich King will generate even more excitement,\u201d said William Ding, CEO of NetEase. \u201cWe are fully prepared on all fronts to provide great service and support to all of the new and returning players throughout China, and we look forward to welcoming them to Northrend.\u201d<\/p>\n
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King sends players to the cold, forbidding continent of Northrend, where the fearsome Lich King Arthas Menethil, last seen in Warcraft\u00ae III: The Frozen Throne\u00ae, works from his secluded citadel to bring all of Azeroth under his twisted dominion. Players will battle the Lich King\u2019s army from the shores of Howling Fjord and Borean Tundra to the seat of his power in Icecrown. In addition, players will be able to advance characters to level 80 and gain powerful new abilities while exploring several new zones and dungeons. The expansion also introduces a number of exciting new features, including expanded player-vs.-player combat options such as siege weapons and destructible buildings, as well as the game\u2019s first Hero class — the death knight.<\/p>\n
Since launching in November 2004, World of Warcraft has become the world\u2019s most popular MMORPG, with a current global player base of more than 11.5 million subscribers. For more information on World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, visit the official website at www.warcraftchina.com.<\/p>\n
World of Warcraft\u2019s Subscriber Definition
\nWorld of Warcraft subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. Internet Game Room players who have accessed the game over the last thirty days are also counted as subscribers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Subscribers in licensees\u2019 territories are defined along the same rules.<\/p>\n
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
\nBest known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft\u00ae and the Warcraft\u00ae, StarCraft\u00ae, and Diablo\u00ae series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry\u2019s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment\u2019s track record includes twelve #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company\u2019s online-gaming service, Battle.net\u00ae, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.<\/p>\n
About NetEase.com Inc.
\nNetEase.com, Inc. is a leading China-based Internet technology company that pioneered the development of applications, services and other technologies for the Internet in China. NetEase\u2019s online communities and personalized premium services have established a large and stable user base for the NetEase websites which are operated by its affiliates. In particular, NetEase provides online game services to Internet users through its in-house development or licensing of massively multi-player online role-playing games, including Fantasy Westward Journey, Westward Journey Online II and III, Tianxia II, Heroes of Tang Dynasty and Datang, as well as the licensed game, Blizzard Entertainment\u2019s World of Warcraft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SHANGHAI, CHINA — August 24, 2010 — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and NetEase.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES) today announced that World of Warcraft\u00ae: Wrath of the Lich King\u2122, the second expansion for Blizzard Entertainment\u2019s award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will launch in mainland China on August 31, 2010. \u201cWe appreciate the continued passion and<\/p>\n