BEIJING, Dec. 8 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- NetEase.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTES),
one of China's leading Internet and online game services providers, today
announced that it will launch Phase I open beta testing of the Company's next
generation online 3-Dimensional MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role-
playing game) Tianxia II, to approximately 100,000 accounts during the final
week of 2006. The Phase I open beta launch is aimed at testing the stability
of the game engine while allowing time to resolve any outstanding minor
system flaws prior to the broader scale Phase II open beta test that is
expected to conclude during the first quarter of 2007.
William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director of NetEase stated, "By
initiating our testing to a limited audience during the Phase I open beta
period, we believe we can conclude the Phase II open beta period during the
first quarter within a relatively short time period. We now expect the
commercial launch of Tianxia II to also occur during the first quarter of
2007, and our commercial marketing program will begin early in the year to
coincide with Phase II open beta testing and drive player activity during the
free trial period. We believe a dual-phase open beta test provides a
comprehensive testing framework that enhances our ability to deliver a
flawless best-of-breed game to market.
"We have already received favorable response to Tianxia II through our
closed beta test," Ding continued. "With no major technical or functionality
issues thus far, our development progress is proceeding steadily and we are
confident about the results of the upcoming open beta launch and time-to-
market for our newest MMORPG."
About NetEase
NetEase.com, Inc. is a leading China-based Internet technology company
that pioneered the development of applications, services and other
technologies for the Internet in China. Our online communities and
personalized premium services have established a large and stable user base
for the NetEase websites which are operated by our affiliates. For the month
of September 2006, the NetEase websites had more than 535 million average
daily page views, making us one of the most popular destinations in China and
on the World Wide Web. In particular, NetEase provides online game services
to Internet users through the licensing or in-house development of massively
multi-player online role-playing games, including Fantasy Westward Journey,
Westward Journey Online II and Datang.
NetEase also offers online advertising on its websites which enables
advertisers to reach our substantial user base. In addition, NetEase has
paid listings on its search engine and web directory and classified ads
services, as well as an online mall, which provides opportunities for e-
commerce and traditional businesses to establish their own storefront on the
Internet. NetEase also offers wireless value-added services such as news and
information content, matchmaking services, music and photos from the Web
which are sent over SMS, MMS, WAP, IVR and Color Ring-back Tone technologies.
Other community services which the NetEase websites offer include instant
messaging, online personal ads, matchmaking, alumni clubs, personal home
pages and community forums. NetEase is also the largest provider of free e-
mail services in China. Furthermore, the NetEase websites provide various
channels of content. NetEase aggregates news content on world events,
sports, science and technology, and financial markets, as well as
entertainment content such as cartoons, games, astrology and jokes, from over
one hundred international and domestic content providers.
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These
statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these
forward-looking statements by terminology such
as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"estimates" and similar statements. The accuracy of these statements may be
impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated,
including risks related to: the risk that the online game market will not
continue to grow or that NetEase will not be able to maintain its leading
position in that market, which could occur if, for example, its new online
games or expansion packs and other improvements to its existing games do not
become as popular as management anticipates; the risk that changes in Chinese
government regulation of the online game market may limit future growth of
NetEase's revenue or cause revenue to decline; the risk that NetEase may not
be able to continuously develop new and creative online services; the risk
that NetEase will not be able to control its expenses in future periods; the
impact of the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in
China and risks related to any possible recurrence of SARS or another public
health problem in China; competition in NetEase's existing and potential
markets; governmental uncertainties (including possible changes in the
effective tax rates applicable to NetEase and its subsidiaries and
affiliates), general competition and price pressures in the marketplace; the
risk that security, reliability and confidentiality concerns may impede broad
use of the Internet and e-commerce and other services; the risk that
fluctuations in the value of the Renminbi with respect to other currencies
could adversely affect NetEase's business and financial results; and other
risks outlined in NetEase's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. NetEase does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-
looking information, except as required under applicable law.
