World of Warcraft :
The Burning Crusade Surpasses 800,000 Peak Concurrent
User
Milestone in Mainland China
|
Shanghai, China – October 4, 2007. The9
Limited (NASDAQ: NCTY) (“The9”) and Blizzard Entertainment
(“Blizzard”) today announced that Blizzard Entertainment’s
World of Warcraft ,
the subscription-based Massively Multiplayer Online
Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) has achieved record peak
concurrency of 800,000, highest concurrency since the
game's commercial launch in June 2005, after launching
its new expansion pack, “The Burning Crusade”, in mainland
China on September 6, 2007.
We observed that numerous existing players return to
or play more of the World of Warcraft
game after the launch of The Burning Crusade new expansion
and new players have also been attracted to join. In
the field of 3D MMORPG, the World of Warcraft
game is now in a leading position again and has written
a new chapter to mainland China's online game history.
World of Warcraft :
The Burning Crusade is the exciting new expansion to
Blizzard's award-winning massively multiplayer online
role-playing game. It expands the game by tremendous
bounds, adding new races, lands, Battlegrounds, professions,
items, and many more features.
About The9 Limited
The9 Limited is a leading online game operator in China.
The9's business is primarily focused on operating and
developing high-quality games for the Chinese online
game market. The9 directly or through affiliates operates
licensed MMORPGs, consisting of MU ,
Blizzard Entertainment 's
World of Warcraft ,
Soul of The Ultimate Nation ,
and its first proprietary MMORPG, Joyful Journey West ,
in mainland China. It has also obtained exclusive licenses
to operate additional MMORPGs and advanced casual games
in mainland China, including Granado Espada, Guild Wars,
Hellgate: London, Ragnarok Online 2, Emil Chronicle
Online, Huxley ,
FIFA Online, Audition 2, Field of Honor and Audition.
In addition, The9 is also developing two proprietary
MMORPG games, Fantastic Melody Online
and Ming Jiang San Guo.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements.
These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions
of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified
by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,”
“future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates”
and similar statements. Among other things, the business
outlook and quotations from management in this press
release contain forward-looking statements. The9 may
also make written or oral forward-looking statements
in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on Forms 20-F and 6-K, etc., in its annual
report to shareholders, in press releases and other
written materials and in oral statements made by its
officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements
that are not historical facts, including statements
about The9's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors
could cause actual results to differ materially from
those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to, The9's limited operating history as an online game
operator, political and economic policies of the Chinese
government, the laws and regulations governing the online
game industry, information disseminated over the Internet
and Internet content providers in China, intensified
government regulation of Internet cafes, The9's ability
to retain existing players and attract new players,
license, develop or acquire additional online games
that are appealing to users, anticipate and adapt to
changing consumer preferences and respond to competitive
market conditions, and other risks and uncertainties
outlined in The9's filings with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports
on Form 20-F. The9 does not undertake any obligation
to update any forward-looking statement, except as required
under applicable law.
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Dahlia Wei
Senior Manager, Investor Relations
The9 Limited
Tel: +86 (21) 5172-9990
Email: IR@corp.the9.com
Website: http://www.corp.the9.com/ |