World of Warcraft in China

NetEase is a Chinese internet company that hosts World of Warcraft in China. The company was ordered by a Chinese regulation body to disconnect the game after rejecting NetEase's application to operate Activision Blizzard's The Burning Crusade, the popular MMORPG's second expansion.

The Burning Crusade was already released in China last September 2007 and the World of Warcraft had been operated by Shanghai-based The9, the MMORPG launched in China in June 2005. Blizzard changed the license to NetEase in April 2009 as part of a 3 year agreement. The re launching of an MMO in China requires government approval, NetEase doesn't have it yet. The reason of the rejection: China's General Administration of Press and Publication and its Ministry of Culture are protected in mortal combat and they have to issue sorts of regulatory commands.To settle problems with Chinese regulators, Blizzard has made numerous changes to the game by narrowing visual references to blood and bones.

Wall Street Journal stated that GAPP allowed NetEase to start testing the World of Warcraft last July, provided that the company will not engage in financial transactions with players or process new accounts.

NetEase complied last September 19, from then they begin to accept money and process new accounts most likely because of authorization delays. This worsen the quarrel between GAPP and the Ministry of Culture.  Obviously, GAPP would say that NetEase's actions are unlawful. But the Ministry of Culture stated that GAPP would breach government stipulations if it tries to implement the regulatory rejection. Who will win in this clash? Acording to China's State Commission Office for Public Sector Reform, GAPP is accountable for pre-approval of online game publication, but once an online game goes live, accountability was transferred to the Ministry of Culture. [via]