A Turf War Behind an Accident of a MMO

We post a article, History Repeats, WOW Must be Killed in China yesterday. China's General Administration of Press and Publication of PRC (GAPP) has issued a circular to terminate the approval of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade and reject NetEase's application for introducing and publishing World of Warcraft in China. Now things are going to be changed.

According to the newest interview with Internet Culture Division's director of Ministry of Culture (CN) , Qiang Liu, China GAPP's ban to World of Warcraft is a violation of the newest regulation, for Ministry of Culture viewed as a regulatory body for the industry.

Liu said, China State Council had defined the competent department of online game industry and Ministry of Culture is the only government sector to investigate and punish online game company. And GAPP(CN) is responsible for pre-approval. However, World of Warcraft is not a new game and has run in China for more than 4 years.

So far, Shanghai EaseNet keeps collecting fees and allowing new account registrations.

This is much like a "TURF WARS" and Shanghai EaseNet essentially stuck in the middle of this power struggle, Roth Capital Partners analyst Adam Krejcik said.

Editor Remarks

There comes a new question now, Who is the real boss of china's online game industry? According to China State Council's regulation, GAPP is responsible for pre-approval of new games, but the competent department is Ministry of Culture. That is to say when the games appeared on the market, Ministry of Culture has the right to regulatory them.

Now the key of the issue is whether World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade is still a new game after its publisher was changed from The 9 to Shanghai EaseNet. The question is so bizarre that it is a new game after being run four years. If WoW is a continuance from The 9 who operated WoW in last four years, Shanghai EaseNet is in full compliance with applicable laws. But, for Shanghai EaseNet, World of Warcraft is a new game because they never run the game before. if WoW is viewed as a brand new game, GAPP(CN)'s pre-approval must be reasonable and Shanghai EaseNet must pay for dancing on fire.

Obviously, the destiny of WoW(CN) depends on the word "New". For the publisher or the game market?

What Had Happened in Last months of World of Warcraft(CN)?

• WOW(CN) Shut Down, The9 Says Goodbye [06-09]
  
• WOW(CN) 3.1.3 CB: Blood Turn Black, Icons Become Boxes? [07-29]
  
• WOW(CN) Continuing Revelry - BOX and All will be Remained [08-07]
  
• Rumor: WoW(CN) to Enter OB at Month-End [08-26]
  
• History Repeats, WOW Must be Killed in China [11-02]
  

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