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f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  The Gaming Graveyard  |  MMOG Discussion  |  Topic: World of Warcraft shut down in China 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
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Author Topic: World of Warcraft shut down in China  (Read 38626 times)
Mrbloodworth
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Posts: 15148


on: November 03, 2009, 05:39:01 AM

Quote
After spending much of 2009 offline, the Chinese version of World of Warcraft has found itself in limbo once again. According to Reuters, the authoritarian nation's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) has revoked the permit needed to operate the game from Blizzard Entertainment's localization partner, NetEase.

Linky to the rest.

World Of Warcraft China Hits Snags Again In Gov Power Struggle

Quote
"NetEase and Shanghai EaseNet believe that they are in full compliance with applicable PRC laws and are currently seeking clarification from the relevant governmental authorities regarding this statement by GAPP. NetEase will provide further updates on the statement by GAPP as appropriate."
« Last Edit: November 03, 2009, 11:41:47 AM by Mrbloodworth »

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SnakeCharmer
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Reply #1 on: November 03, 2009, 06:43:59 AM

That's gonna leave a mark.
Signe
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Muse.


Reply #2 on: November 03, 2009, 07:14:29 AM

What sort of "gross violations" I wonder?

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
Triforcer
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Posts: 4663


Reply #3 on: November 03, 2009, 07:17:35 AM

Forgetting that although it didn't seem strictly necessary to bribe Official X, who works in the Water Ministry, X's cousin is Y, who is in the Internet Ministry. 

All life begins with Nu and ends with Nu.  This is the truth!  This is my belief! At least for now...
tazelbain
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tazelbain


Reply #4 on: November 03, 2009, 07:48:08 AM

What sort of "gross violations" I wonder?
Not being Chinese.

"Me am play gods"
rattran
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Posts: 4257

Unreasonable


Reply #5 on: November 03, 2009, 08:45:41 AM

Just another step in the GAPP/Ministry of Culture infighting over online games I suppose.
HaemishM
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the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


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Reply #6 on: November 03, 2009, 11:24:45 AM

What sort of "gross violations" I wonder?

They PKed China's Flax?

Signe
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Posts: 18942

Muse.


Reply #7 on: November 03, 2009, 11:37:53 AM

It doesn't matter if anyone knows or not, F13 always gives me an answer.  And I choose to believe them all.  Now I don't have to wonder anymore.

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
Ingmar
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Reply #8 on: November 03, 2009, 11:38:08 AM

I'm not sure it is actually shut down this time, but they're not allowed to charge for it at the moment.  awesome, for real

The Transcendent One: AH... THE ROGUE CONSTRUCT.
Nordom: Sense of closure: imminent.
Mrbloodworth
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Reply #9 on: November 03, 2009, 11:42:03 AM

added another relevant article.

Today's How-To: Scrambling a Thread to the Point of Incoherence in Only One Post with MrBloodworth . - schild
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Soln
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the opportunity for evil is just delicious


Reply #10 on: November 03, 2009, 11:47:35 AM

What sort of "gross violations" I wonder?

They PKed China's Flax?

oh well played Sir 
kaid
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Reply #11 on: November 03, 2009, 12:06:09 PM

Hehe be funny if blizzard tries to do a WTO suite vs china god knows china does it to US corporations or the govt at the first hint of protectionism.

Trippy
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Reply #12 on: November 03, 2009, 12:45:20 PM

Blizzard is owned by a French company.
HaemishM
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Reply #13 on: November 03, 2009, 02:37:19 PM

Does that mean I assume Blizzard will be surrendering to the Chinese authorities any day now? VIVE LA VICHY BLIZZARD!

Merusk
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Reply #14 on: November 03, 2009, 03:12:39 PM

Hay look.. exactly what I predicted would happen weeks ago when we got that first bit of info about the new license req's.

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
Kageh
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Reply #15 on: November 04, 2009, 12:44:25 AM

Does that mean I assume Blizzard will be surrendering to the Chinese authorities any day now? VIVE LA VICHY BLIZZARD!

Only half of France. The other half is going to keep LFG for killing Arthas under the <La Resistance> tag!

I don't know how much this will hurt Blizzard, because regardless of the number of players, the subscription revenues from China probably aren't that high anyway? I'm just assuming, considering the pay-by-hour model.
Mrbloodworth
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Posts: 15148


Reply #16 on: November 04, 2009, 05:58:28 AM

Does that mean I assume Blizzard will be surrendering to the Chinese authorities any day now? VIVE LA VICHY BLIZZARD!

Only half of France. The other half is going to keep LFG for killing Arthas under the <La Resistance> tag!

I don't know how much this will hurt Blizzard, because regardless of the number of players, the subscription revenues from China probably aren't that high anyway? I'm just assuming, considering the pay-by-hour model.

I think its a good chunk on income and "subscriber" numbers for them.

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Trippy
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Reply #17 on: November 04, 2009, 10:39:25 AM

Under The9 the revenue Vivendi got from WoW in China was teeny tiny, relatively speaking. Essentially The9 did all the work and took all the risk to they got virtually all the reward. I don't know the terms of the new NetEase arrangement but I would assume Activision Blizzard gets a bigger chuck of that money now (assuming it was still running).
March
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Reply #18 on: November 04, 2009, 01:05:15 PM

Quote
Enter the Pandaren Monk, a martial-arts expert who’s here to help celebrate the upcoming fifth anniversary of World of Warcraft. He may be cute, but he’s proof that even the softest of critters can overcome the hardest of circumstances. For every Pandaren Monk that finds its way to a player’s side between now and the end of the year (December 31, 2009 at 11:59 PDT), we’ll donate 50 percent of the $10 purchasing price to the Make-a-Wish Foundation in an effort to brew up a little hope, strength, and joy in a child’s life.

Hmmn... "undesirable content?" or fundraiser for China's General Administration of Press and Publication?
Oban
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Reply #19 on: November 04, 2009, 01:54:17 PM

There is a new Lamborghini dealer in Beijing that will probably be doing a lot of business during the next month.

Palin 2012 : Let's go out with a bang!
sinij
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Reply #20 on: November 04, 2009, 03:41:40 PM

Blizzard just started selling items for cash.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=20677775733

Start of the death match?

Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end.
patience
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Reply #21 on: November 04, 2009, 03:59:00 PM

So when will Blizzard start ripping off CCP's Plexes?

OP is assuming its somewhat of a design-goal of eve to make players happy.
this is however not the case.
Rasix
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Reply #22 on: November 04, 2009, 04:12:30 PM

Blizzard just started selling items for cash.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=20677775733

Start of the death match?

Death match with who?  The drain???

-Rasix
ezrast
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Reply #23 on: November 04, 2009, 04:18:22 PM

Quote
For every Pandaren Monk that finds its way to a player’s side between now and the end of the year (December 31, 2009 at 11:59 PDT), we’ll donate 50 percent of the $10 purchasing price to the Make-a-Wish Foundation
That is a brilliant marketing move.
angry.bob
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Reply #24 on: November 04, 2009, 07:03:18 PM

Death match with who?  The drain???

Raiders who think grinding away their lives should give them enviable loot and the people who want to /dance by the mailbox surrounded by cute pets while wearing the same gear they got with $50 via RMT.

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen.
UnSub
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Reply #25 on: November 04, 2009, 07:12:38 PM

Blizzard just started selling items for cash.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=20677775733

Start of the death match?

Death match with who?  The drain???

Given how much money is given to WoW gold farmers, they really should just be selling it directly.

DLRiley
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Reply #26 on: November 05, 2009, 05:49:41 AM

The death march of the traditional $15 sub. If WoW the largest sub based diku has a cash shop there is no doubt every mmo in creation from this point on will have a cash shop at launch or at the closed/open beta (on top of a $15 sub plus a box price). Hello the future, thx blizzard  DRILLING AND MANLINESS
Triforcer
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Reply #27 on: November 05, 2009, 07:30:10 AM

Or, in other words, the future is not microtrans or subs, the future is both.  The last real mainstream boundary to cross is microstrans giving access to in-game advantages (not fluff) unobtainable without money. 

All life begins with Nu and ends with Nu.  This is the truth!  This is my belief! At least for now...
DLRiley
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Reply #28 on: November 05, 2009, 07:54:54 AM

More like the last boundary is subscription based mmo's using micro transactions to sell non-fluffy items that can't be obtained in game. Free2play games have been doing it for years with mix success.
ghost
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Reply #29 on: November 05, 2009, 08:29:01 AM

Or, in other words, the future is not microtrans or subs, the future is both.  The last real mainstream boundary to cross is microstrans giving access to in-game advantages (not fluff) unobtainable without money. 

Not anticipating this will be something I participate in too much.
sinij
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WWW
Reply #30 on: November 05, 2009, 08:00:01 PM

Or, in other words, the future is not microtrans or subs, the future is both.  The last real mainstream boundary to cross is microstrans giving access to in-game advantages (not fluff) unobtainable without money.  

Not anticipating this will be something I participate in too much.

Your only choice is not participating at all. Very quickly games will be designed with "please insert coin to continue" cock-blocks that you will have to participate with micro-trans or not participate at all.

Considering how much cash Blizz already makes, I hope they die in a money fire for shitting where they eat.

Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end.
Sheepherder
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Reply #31 on: November 05, 2009, 08:23:32 PM

You really need to take a Quaalude.
Lantyssa
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Reply #32 on: November 05, 2009, 08:35:08 PM

Green Elf needs food, badly.

Hahahaha!  I'm really good at this!
Venkman
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Reply #33 on: November 05, 2009, 08:42:18 PM

Been saying this for years but it bears repeating.

These games are going f2p with MTX. Not because we want it, but because the new audience of kids hasn't been trained to hate it.

The model was pre-ordained to be the future. The market has just been patiently waiting for us veterans to outgrow the games enough so we are no longer the commanding demographic. WoW was our swan song as both an single-minded experience and as a business model.

Back on topic, if I recall correct, under The9, the Chinese players represented for half of all of WoW's stated number of accounts. While to Trippy's point their revenue contribution was low, the number everyone tossed around anyway was the 12mil+ number of accounts. And even with that small revenue, WoW still operated at above 50% profit.

So as a result of this basically-been-closed-six-months thing, their revenue probably isn't that off, but they also aren't able to brag about being 10 times the size of the nearest competitor. Now they're only 5 times the size  Ohhhhh, I see.
Sheepherder
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Reply #34 on: November 05, 2009, 09:15:42 PM

The last generation of gamers still runs and staffs most developers.
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