Ding Lei, CEO of Netease (NTES), says the Chinese Internet portal will for the first time launch a free online game in 2008.
The game to be launched is Tian Xia Er, which did not achieve as good success for Netease as its Da Hua Xi You or Meng Huan Xi You games. Ding spoke to local media and said that the game was not successful on the market mainly because they ignored the difference in China's 40 million game players and emphasized too much on its time-based charging. Ding said that with the change of the market, Netease will launch the game as a free game to players.
Speaking of its social responsibility, Ding said that being 'green' is a standard that Netease has been adhering to as a game developer and the company will continue to follow this route to wrap China's traditional cultural value into their game products.
Ding disclosed that Netease would not focus on developing games of its own in 2008. Instead, he said that it would co-develop some games with its partners to bring better experience to gamers in China.
