World of Warcraft in China remains hopelessly mired
by Eliot Lefebvre 
Feb 8th 2010 at 8:00PM
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Legal
The studio is re-applying for a license to host World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, with no mention being made of Wrath of the Lich King, which doesn't bode very well for the hopes of that expansion ever seeing release in China. Having been stuck in the middle of two squabbling agencies for quite some time, and with no clear resolution in sight, it seems like a stretch to assume that the expansion will be released in China before the next one is due to arrive stateside. Our condolences to Chinese players affected by the latest round of bickering, and we can only hope that this long struggle will soon come to a conclusion.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
max said on 8:11PM 2-08-2010
What's the hubbub over the end of the Lich King all about?
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Starman said on 8:42PM 2-08-2010
Apparently there are certain rules and criteria that has to be met in order to release game content in China. Blizzard thought they could do what they want and the Chinese government is having none of that nonsense. It has something to do with undead and skeletons not being able to be shown to kids. Blizzard refuses to change and the Chinese government is saying " oh well then it will not be shown" I would like to see how Blizzard will try to slip past this one.
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Nopunin10did said on 10:18PM 2-08-2010
You're a little late to the party, bud. The whole bone/skeleton thing was easily remedied. This problem has less to do with Blizzard and more to do with two competing Chinese government agencies.
Each wants to regulate online games... each wants whatever bribes/graft are required by NetEase to keep WoW afloat.
Until those two agencies come to a formal agreement, the Chinese WoW players are stuck in a void.
DrunkenIdiot said on 10:42PM 2-08-2010
mmm, it's not quite just the forsaken skeleton.
I read somewhere that the whole theme of death, the new class being a death knight with necromancer powers, the whole continent of northrend being an undead stomping ground doesnt sit well with the Chinese government and their culture, where themes of death in Chinese culture arn't popular. That's one of the reasons why this whole expansion isn't going very far forward in China.
alucard.3000 said on 1:02AM 2-09-2010
lol why should they and why would they Blizzard has enough money they dont need to cowtow to china nor should they
John said on 2:35AM 2-09-2010
Being doing quite a bit of reading since the whole thing sort of blown up. Here's what I can figure out... roughly a timeline.
1. Skeleton / Death issues - sorted out back in Wrath. By The9
2. The9 has has good relationship with GAPP (General Administration of Press and Publication)
3. The9 shares purchased by EA
4. WoW Wrath expansion continues to be delayed - with The9 implying that GAPP is not approving the new content. But The9 isn't even translating the content properly - the "expansion" that The9 asked GAPP to approve doesn't include the entire DK starting area.
Most players think that The9 is just greedy bastards not doing their job, and some speculate that EA may be pulling strings to hinder WoW.
5. Blizzard, having already handed the Battle Net rights to NetEase, finally got pissed off enough to take back the license for WoW back from The9, and gives it to NetEase
6. NetEase seems to have good relationship with Ministry of Culture. Who gives the go-ahead.
(btw, most "good relationship" implies enough respect and fees are paid).
7. The9 sues Blizzard. GAPP interruptions.
8. GAPP says NetEase can't operation without permission. They need to re-apply for Burning Crusade license (aka the quest for more money).
9. Ministry of Culture says GAPP overstep it's lines. more fighting.
10. Both GAPP/MoC says NetEase needs to pay more money.
11. NetEase now needs to pay $ to run Burning Crusade, and then later pay more $ to run Wrath. Oh. And they need to pay both GAPP and MoC now.
John said on 2:39AM 2-09-2010
"sorted out back in Wrath"
sorry should be back in Classic
also. somewhere between #8~#10
a lot of press in the public about MMO's destroying children's lives. So there is quite a bit of negative opinions about playing MMO in China - it's almost depicted as drugs. And victims need to be rehabilitated.
Since both MoC and GAPP are now involved, and MMOs are painted with a black paintbrush, I guess 'approval' will only get harder.
snowleopard233 said on 10:26AM 2-09-2010
I kind of get the impression that the whole skeleteon/death issue is an exaggerated excuse for a government that just wants to control the financial success and cultural significance of a foreign game. There are plenty of examples in Chinese popular culture of demonology, undead, and violence. If you walk into an internet café in Shanghai, Beijing, or heck even some place as remote as Lijiang, you’ll find people playing games that aren’t world of warcraft with more fearsome and shocking creatures. There was one Diablo knock-off that was huge when I was there, and it had skeletons and demons and blood all over the place. Horrific images, undead, and death are nothing new to the Chinese. If you don’t believe me, watch any of the seven million Chinese vampire movies that are out there.
Corrupt officials are just trying to get their hands on the financial success of this business, either that or their trying to create a public crackdown on video games that looks good for the segment of the population that thinks all video games, even Sonic the Hedgehog, are detrimental to Chinese society. The only thing that makes WoW stand out from all the other million bloody and horrific games out there is its astounding success, making it a center target in a corrupt and paranoid political environment.
Amritrao said on 9:56PM 2-08-2010
"[I]t seems like a stretch to assume that the expansion will be released in China before the next one is due to arrive stateside."
Not to mention in the rest of the world, where we also enjoy the benefits of hot running water, cell phones, and WoW at the same time as the States does.
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Dumac said on 9:02AM 2-09-2010
:)
Kdolo said on 7:27AM 2-09-2010
Dammit, I wanted to offer gold to people in broken Chinese!
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Dumac said on 9:05AM 2-09-2010
Why the grim tone, its not like someone died.
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Wjowski said on 4:25PM 2-09-2010
The sooner Blizzard and every other company in the world pulls their business from China, the better.
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Verit said on 4:28PM 2-09-2010
The problem is - China is a place where they have little rule of law. What laws they do have aren't even enforced (like free speech laws).
Hence why most companies who do business there hire people who's job it is to bribe, negotiate and deal with local politicians do get anything done.
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Laephis said on 9:27PM 2-09-2010
Ah, I see. And you have this deep understanding of Chinese law and government from years of living there, studying the people and its history? I'm assuming you have examples and case studies of how their laws aren't enforced, right?
Or is this just something you picked up on Fox News?
Verit said on 12:27AM 2-10-2010
Fox news? No I had a brother who worked for RKD industries (obscure Chinese importer/reseller) and it was just his observation that you had to have a local handle politicians or they could make your life miserable.
And China does have free speech laws (google them!) - they are very similar to the ones we enjoy in the US, but like here - sometimes they aren't enforced. In other words they ignore the rule of law.
My uncle (engineer/model designer) told me a similar case about a Canadian mining company trying to do business in Russia. They had to deal with so much crap from the local politicians and the Russian mafia that they just said screw it - and left (billions of lost revenue for the locals there). Again - rule of man, not rule of law.
Ricardo said on 4:46AM 2-11-2010
Laephis said on 9:27PM 2-09-2010
Ah, I see. And you have this deep understanding of Chinese law and government from years of living there, studying the people and its history? I'm assuming you have examples and case studies of how their laws aren't enforced, right?
Or is this just something you picked up on Fox News
You must be a Chinese Expert Laephis. How do you think you could do case studies about corruption as a foreigner. A "Laowai" (a foreigner in China) will never be able to do corrupt business with Chinese, because they are too selfish. I do not know so much about China and their laws and goverment, cause I only havee been living in South West China for 4 years, am married with a Chinese for 13 years and work in a corrupt Chinese company. But what I saw with my own eyes, and I can't prove it cause I have no documents or photos, is that the hotel I work for buys food, which is more expensive than in the local supermarket, milk for example cost around 1 Dollar a Liter and they pay for the exact same milk 1.5 dollars. They use about 40 Liters of milk a day, and that is only one product.
For meetings the sales manager charges the company holding a meeting 7Dollars a person a day, which is then split up between the sales manager and the meeting organizer.
I see normal staff with an income of 150Dollars a month driving cars. Cars that cost 30'000Dollars.
This is just where I work and I have seen it with my own eyes.
My wife told me that I could have a better job, but would have to give some guy 20'000Dollars.
A friend of ours was able to get his daughter a job in the government and had to pay 30'000 Dollars.
I could go on and on, but it's useless cause I have no prove, so Laephis, I guess you win and think that news about corruption in China is not true and only happens very seldom and maybe only with some high government officials.
Maybe it's only the guys that park in our parking lot. The ones with Mercedes Benz 600 AMG and Lexus SUV's with Military licence plates
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