Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV, like Nixon, can in fact go to China]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/final-fantasy-xiv-like-nixon-can-in-fact-go-to-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/final-fantasy-xiv-like-nixon-can-in-fact-go-to-china/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/final-fantasy-xiv-like-nixon-can-in-fact-go-to-china/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Chinese market for MMOs is immense, but it's also a market that's proven remarkably resistant to foreign intrusion. (We don't need to recount the whole saga of World of Warcraft over there.) But in addition to launching nearly everywhere else, it looks as if Final Fantasy XIV will also be going into the Chinese market in a partnership with Shanda Games Limited. This comes after Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada had mentioned a year ago that the company wished to pursue business partnerships with companies inside mainland China.

Shanda Games Limited will most likely be operating the servers for the game, which will remain separate from the "normal" servers -- the only region-locked servers that the game is currently set to have, as a point of fact. There's no word on when the game will launch, either, simply that it is in the pipeline for release thanks to the new partnership. The rest of the world, of course, will get to start enjoying Final Fantasy XIV on the 30th (or the 22nd with the collector's edition).

[Thanks to FusionX for the tip!]

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV, like Nixon, can in fact go to China originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachinese-gamingchinese-marketffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivmmo-industryshanda-gamesshanda-games-limitedsquaresquare-enixyoichi-wadaFri, 17 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese company bans gender-bending]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/27/chinese-company-bans-gender-bending/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/27/chinese-company-bans-gender-bending/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/27/chinese-company-bans-gender-bending/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You can frequently get asked to prove an awful lot in MMOs -- that you actually know how to beat this boss, that you really have insider access to the game developers, or perhaps most commonly that you are who you say you are. Aurora Technology over in China has apparently decided to cut out the middleman in the equation -- they're banning any male players who play female characters, requiring players to confirm their gender via webcam in order to enforce the ruling.

The ruling currently only affects the Aurora-developed game King of the World, but there's always the possibility that this action could have further-reaching consequences. After all, Aurora is a subsidiary of Shanda, a company responsible for publishing Aion and Dungeons and Dragons Online in the region, which are names slightly more familiar to players on this side of the pond. China is a fair bit more litigious than the US when it comes to its online games, and the country as a whole has taken some surprising moves already. While this ordeal has been going on for over two years now, we can't help but wonder if this will herald the start of some rather restrictive policies. We're assuming that you'll need to provide pictures or it didn't happen.

MassivelyChinese company bans gender-bending originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaurora-technologychinachina-gamingchinese-gamingcultureddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinegenderlegalmmo-industryshandaTue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese agencies taking stake in online gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/chinese-agencies-taking-stake-in-online-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/chinese-agencies-taking-stake-in-online-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/chinese-agencies-taking-stake-in-online-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's ironic that just as the GDC in Shanghai is getting into motion, the Chinese government is making some moves regarding the future of online games in China. It's a sweeping change, at that -- the General Administration of Press and Publication, the regulator of games in China, made a declaration officially preventing any foreign companies from operating a game in China, through joint ventures or otherwise. The move is fairly clearly intended to prevent any foreign companies from muscling in on China's lucrative online gaming market, but it's possible that liberal interpretations of "investors" might even include foreign players on Chinese servers.

However, the GAPP's declaration isn't the end of the story. As it turns out, the Chinese Ministry of Culture is at odds with this announcement, claiming that the authority to make such decisions passed to them on the seventh of September. Tuo Zu Hai, the vice director of the Ministry of Culture's Market Department, said he was "shocked to hear the news", indicating that there was a communication lapse between the two agencies and the ultimate resolution is still up in the air. It's unsure of how much impact this will have on NetEase, whose recent acquisition of World of Warcraft was a major coup for the company and who would be directly affected if Blizzard was blocked from interacting with them.

[ via GamePolitics ]

MassivelyChinese agencies taking stake in online gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchinese-gaminggdcgdc-china-2009mmo-industryneteaseworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 13 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Court awards real world money for seized virtual assets]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/court-awards-real-world-money-for-seized-virtual-assets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/court-awards-real-world-money-for-seized-virtual-assets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/court-awards-real-world-money-for-seized-virtual-assets/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As if today's earlier report out of China wasn't enough, here's more wackiness from the wonderful world of Chinese gaming... PlayNoEvil is reporting on a story that first appeared on Pacific Epoch's website about the Chinese gaming company Shanda Interactive. All this gaming goofiness started back in November 2006, when a player (named Zhang) in the game World of Legend first noticed six of his virtual items missing. He complained to Shanda who replied that the items were taken because of a police investigation regarding the sale of stolen virtual items. Well, Shanda failed to return the items once the investigation was over. Bad Move. The player sued the company and was awarded an apology and 5,000 Yuan ($680 US). Zhang originally sued Shanda in the Hunan Qiyang People's Court. Judge Milian wasn't presiding.

But it doesn't stop there. Zhang plans to take Shanda back to court for a whopping 150,000 Yuan (that's a smidgen over $20,000 US) which he claims to have spent on the game over the last five years. That's a lot of Yuan.

It will be very interesting to see what - if any - global legal ramifications come out of this. The fact that virtual things have been given a real world value by a court - even if it is Chinese court - may or may not be a good thing. We'll find out soon I'm sure since we all know the good ole U.S of A. is one seriously sue happy country. I bet there's more than a few people out there just dreaming up ways to sue Blizzard or NCsoft for something.

MassivelyCourt awards real world money for seized virtual assets originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chinese-gamingPacific-EpochPlayNoEvilShandraShandra-InteractiveWorld-of-LegendFri, 28 Dec 2007 19:30:00 EST