WOW expansion finally launches in China

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 24 August, 2010

Nearly two years after Western release.

World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King - originally released in November 2008 – will finally see the light of day in China.

WotLK, which Eurogamer awarded a stonking 10/10 review, will release in Mainland China on 31st August.

Blizzard's endured a difficult time with the Chinese government over the last year, and even shut the game down for a time in 2009.

It's now up and running, but Chinese censors had demanded the undead-themed imagery in WotLK be modified before allowing the expansion be released.

Blizzard will be delighted that Chinese licensee Netease has managed to satisfy the censors, and even smuggled the Death Knight class – a bone of contention – into the game.

"We appreciate the continued passion and support that Chinese players have shown for World of Warcraft, and we're working hard to ensure that they have a topnotch gaming experience when Wrath of the Lich King is released," said Blizzard CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime

"This expansion contains some of the best content we've ever created for the game, and we're excited that Chinese players will soon have a chance to explore everything it has to offer."

WOW is the most popular MMORPG in the world, with more than 11.5 million subscribers.

Third expansion Cataclysm is due out this year.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (18) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Vice.Destroyer #1 2 years ago

    I like to think that that makes up for the delayed western release of Street Fighter II on the Super Nintendo, all the way back in 1991. I still hold a grudge that China got it about 10 months earlier than we did.

  • Skurmedel #2 2 years ago

    Wonder what problem they had with the undead in the first place. Some kind of religious or traditional thing?

  • butler` #3 2 years ago

    "...and we're excited that Chinese players will soon have a chance to explore everything it has to offer."

    Well clearly not everything.

  • paulf #4 2 years ago

    kerching

  • riceNpea #5 2 years ago

    i was under the impression the Chinese have no qualms with the undead if my local takeaway is anything to go by. the food is nasty. the noodles are like a plate of Klingon Gagh.

  • SAMagic #6 2 years ago

    For anyone wondering what sort of changes Blizzard had to make:
    [link url=http://www.gamepolitics.com /2010/08/17/skulls-removed-blood-changed-chinese-lich-king
    ]    http://ww w.gamepolitics.com/2010/08/17/s...[/link]

    I reckon it's more to do with politics than some sort of moral protectionism or even religious practices. Two different Chinese government ministeries have been squabbling over how Blizzard should operate in the country, with one apparently more welcoming and responsive and the other has been unhelpful.

  • Ryboy #7 2 years ago

    Based on the information in SAMagic's link I can now confirm that the Chinese Governments are fucking gay.

    Edit: Missed quite an important word...
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 11:42

  • riceNpea #8 2 years ago

    that's one hell of a population size for a nation of gays then..

  • Ryboy #9 2 years ago

    ^^ I missed a word...

  • Stompy #10 2 years ago

    The more a Government censors entertainment, in this case to remove images of the undead, the more likely that in everyday life the Government lacks morality in dealing with its subject and hence has to cover this up by appearing to be extremely rigid in following a code.

    I'd rather have undead skellingtons in a game than be kicked out of my house by local government because they want to demolish it and build a road.

  • Softie2k #11 2 years ago

    Are the Chinese really unable to deal with these issues? Are they really that offensive?
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 12:22

  • SAMagic #12 2 years ago

    It's not really anything to do with censorship or cultural sensitivities, it's politics. I found <a href=http://www.gamesindustry. biz/articles/local-politics-hits-world-of-warcraft-china-aga in>an article at Gameindustry.biz</a&g t; that explains it in more detial.

    Edit: vvv The gist of it is this extract:
    The warning bells first rang in March last year when the GAPP [Administration of Press and Publication] announced its intention to target non-Chinese titles in a bid to "avoid the excessive penetration of foreign culture among Chinese youth" - with WoW mentioned specifically by Digital Publishing Bureau director Kou Xiaowei.

    Since then Blizzard opted to change operator from The9 to NetEase, but as the changeover took place the game was forced to remain in a beta phase while the Chinese government processed a new permit.

    That took several months to conclude, but when the game was finally relaunched in September, the GAPP's "surly interference" (according to the Ministry of Culture) created more issues, and NetEase was ordered to stop new registrations for a period of time in November.

    The issues were finally cleared up at the beginning of this year - but the game was untroubled for only a month before this new bump in the road.
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 14:45

  • ignatiusjreilly #13 2 years ago

    @SAMagic

    I can't read that link. Could you give us a clue?

    edit: Thanks. Though I was more wondering more about the undead stuff...
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 15:02

  • SAMagic #14 2 years ago

    @ignatiusjreilly : The GI article doesn't go into that. The GP link mentions all that I'm aware of - the ministry insisted on flesh upon skeletons and red blood-stype stuff changed into green.

  • djcool3005 #15 2 years ago

    Lol most of WOTLK is undead oriented. The scourge, Icecrown, the lich king etc.

  • LazyDan #16 2 years ago

    Laff of the Rich King?

  • Nephirion #17 2 years ago

    Chinese people rejoice Cataclysm will be available to play winter 2012 :D

    No wonder they supply half the western world with gold theres nothing else to do for the poor bastards except grind that gold.
    Edited by 1 at 25/08/10 @ 00:44

  • Bluetooth #18 2 years ago

    Wow, I didn't realise the game had elements of criticising communism and stuff about Tibet and Tienanmen Square about it. It must be a really deep game.

    [link url=h ttp://www.theeca.com/newsletters/pictars/lich2.jpg
    ]http://ww w.theeca.com/newsletters/pictar...[/link]

    Left is the uncensored version. I don't really think the right one is any better
    Edited by 1 at 25/08/10 @ 01:18