The9 plans to release a new version of its 3D MMORPG Granado Espada ‘Revolution’ this week. A MMORPG — which has skipped your tongue for the moment — stands for a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and is probably bigger in China than anywhere else in the world.
The best known of these is World of Warcraft which at any one time has more people engaged in combat than ever happened in World War II. Of course, the characters and weaponry are totally different but you can see we are talking seriously large numbers.
The new version of Granado Espada will add a new raid, two NPCs (just to remind you this means Non Player Character and is usually used to refer to characters in an MMORPG that are computer controlled), four maps, 23 virtual weapons and playing modes to the game.
Further news is that the company that operates World of Warcraft and many other games in China, The9, is to develop its own massively multiplayer online.
The9, which has obtained licences to operate games such as FIFA Online 2, Hellgate: London, Ragnarok Online, Huxley, Guild Wars and of course World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. It is also making an MMORPG called ‘MUX’. The Chinese name has yet to be chosen.
inc.gamers refers to recent reports that have suggested that The9 may be in financial difficulties following the delay of the most recent WoW expansion, Wrath of the Lich King.
The tightening of restrictions of gaming in China is also said to be making things harder for the games company, but the news looks positive as it suggests the company is still pushing ahead with new projects.