SHANGHAI, Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Giant Interactive Group Inc. /quotes/zigman/487502/quotes/nls/ga GA -2.82% ("Giant" or the "Company"), a leading Chinese online game developer and operator, today announced that it plans to commence open beta testing for ZT Online 2 on September 16, 2011.
ZT Online 2, a sequel to the Company's flagship game ZT Online, is an internally-developed, martial arts, massively multiplayer online role playing game ("MMORPG"), which combines traditional ZT Online gameplay with Giant's "Third Generation" in-game economy, and new casual and social gameplay. With four hundred developers involved with the project over the past three years, ZT Online 2 utilizes a revised and well-balanced in-game economy to target lower spending and non-spending users compared to the original ZT Online. This Third Generation in-game economy helped the game reach over 300,000 peak concurrent users ("PCU") during the official closed beta testing phase that began in the second quarter of 2011. ZT Online 2 was voted as one of the most anticipated online games for 2011 by gamers during the China Game Industry Annual Conference.
Mr. Xuefeng Ji, Giant's vice president of research and development and the producer of ZT Online 2 commented, "Leveraging the ample feedback received from players during ZT Online 2's official closed beta testing phase, our development team has revised the game to better reflect user preferences and we plan to launch many exciting new features during open beta testing. With more balanced power between paying and non-paying users, the game's transaction-based in-game economy promotes fairness and is geared towards attracting a broader player base across a range of spending habits. Catering to our more hardcore fans and players, ZT Online 2 will offer more intense player killing ("PK") functions for both teams and individuals. We will also focus on the interactive and social aspects of the game, by adding new in-game chat and micro-blog functions, as well as additional casual gameplay and friend-making features."
Mr. Yuzhu Shi, Giant's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented, "ZT Online 2 quickly became one of the most successful new online games in the marketplace during the official closed beta testing phase, and we believe this is only the beginning. We plan to utilize a full range of marketing avenues, including new television advertisements, to promote the game during the open beta testing. Our developers will continue to enhance and update the game, and we anticipate ZT Online 2 will be our key growth driver in the near-term."
About Giant
Giant Interactive Group Inc. /quotes/zigman/487502/quotes/nls/ga GA -2.82% is a leading online game developer and operator in China in terms of market share, and focuses on massively multiplayer online role playing games. Currently, Giant operates multiple games, including ZT Online, ZT Online Green Edition, ZT Online 2, Giant Online, XT Online, and The Golden Land. Giant has built a nationwide distribution network to sell the prepaid game cards and game points required to play its games. For more information, please visit Giant Interactive Group on the web at www.ga-me.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements in this release contain "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the 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 and among others, include our plan to commence open beta testing for ZT Online 2 on September 16, 2011, our plan to launch new features such as more intense player killing ("PK") functions and micro-blog functions, our plan to market ZT Online 2 through a full range of avenues including television advertisements, and our belief that ZT Online 2 will be our key growth driver. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent only our belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition and other circumstances may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements is included in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 20-F. Any projections in this release are based on limited information currently available to us, which is subject to change. Although such projections and the factors influencing them will likely change, we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release.
Contacts:
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Investor Contact (China): Investor Relations (US):
Rich Chiang, IR Manager Kelly Gawlik, Director
Giant Interactive Group, Inc. Taylor Rafferty
+86 21 3397 9959 +1 (212) 889 4350
ir@ztgame.com giantinteractive@taylor-rafferty.com
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Investor Relations (HK): Media Contact (US):
Mahmoud Siddig, Managing Director Marc Raybin
Taylor Rafferty Taylor Rafferty
+852 3196 3712 +1 (212) 889 4350
giantinteractive@taylor-rafferty.com giantinteractive@taylor-rafferty.com
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SOURCE Giant Interactive Group Inc.
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