Netease wins 3-year license for World of Warcraft [CFP]

Chinese online game vendor Netease Inc announced that it has got the license to run Activision Blizzard Inc's blockbuster video game 'World of Warcraft' in China for the next three years.

That has put an end to the effort of The9 Inc, the Shanghai-based online game operator, to extend its original contract to operate the game in a country that has the world's largest online population.

Netease said in a statement that the company has reached a three-year agreement with the US game company to run the online version of 'World of Warcraft', starting June when Activision Blizzard's contract with The9 Inc expires.

The9 Inc generated about 90 percent of its revenue from the game last year.

(China Daily April 17, 2009)