THE9 Ltd is to launch two or three new games, including its own action game, by the end of this year, and it will strengthen in-house innovation and expand in the game community sector, the Shanghai-based firm said yesterday.
This will help The9 dilute its heavy dependence on the imported game the World of WarCraft, industry insiders said.
"The company should become more diversified, such as the expansion in the game community sector (which The9 focused on when it was founded)," said Chen Xiaowei, The9's newly appointed president.
The9 will continue to improve in-house development with its team of 200 people in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.
By the end of this year, The9 will launch an action game "Warriors of Fate Online." Other possible games will include The Audition2, FIFA Online2 and WoW's expansion set, the Wrath of the Lich King. The9 has also invested US$38 million for a minority stake in G10, a South Korean-based game developer.
WoW, developed by Blizzard Entertainment, is still the major income contributor to The9 and accounts for more than 90 percent of the Nasdaq-listed firm's revenue.
In 2007, China's online game market revenue was 12.8 billion yuan (US$1.82 billion), 66.7-percent growth year on year.
The9's market share was 11.5 percent, following Shanda's 24 percent, NetEase's 18.7 percent and Giant's 15.5 percent, according to iResearch Inc, a Shanghai-based Internet research firm.