Threshold of mobile games and then drop "Netease + Blizzard" can board the summit again

"World of Warcraft" in the field of PC gaming landmark meaning so far in the game industry no one can match. This is the world's largest number of registered users of MMORPG games, no doubt become a generation of memories.

Right now, coincided with the fifth anniversary of Netease and Blizzard cooperation. Five years, Blizzard has brought NetEase significant revenue growth. However, the times are changing, mobile games is now one of the most promising people on the mobile Internet realized products.

Recently, Netease blizzard cooperation department head, Netease LiZhiJiang, vice president of accepting 21st Century Business Herald reporter said in an interview, during the mobile game, Netease and blizzard cooperation continue with the mode of travel is not very different. "As usual, Blizzard developed excellent products, Netease is responsible for national service operations, according to operational feedback to Blizzard advice to help continue to optimize the product."

Li Riqiang said that since the official operation of "World of Warcraft" in 2009 to renew the contract expires, and then to the agency operations "StarCraft II", "Hearthstone" and other variety of Blizzard games, Blizzard and Netease cooperation has been ongoing.

However, mobile games and travel have different industry attributes, the cooperation between Netease and Blizzard can create a peak, the industry hit a question mark.

Mobile Games cooperation to continue

In 2009, Ninetowns and Blizzard contracts expire, "World of Warcraft" the new degree of competition for the right to operate at a time when called the game circle of a drama. Eventually, the players experienced a few months after the suspension, "World of Warcraft" Netease. By 2012, after the expiration of the game's existing operating rights agreement in mainland China, the new operating rights agreement immediately went into effect and continued for three years.

The cooperation between the two sides is Netease Blizzard's products, Blizzard products and technical support, Netease responsible for domestic operations, NetEase Blizzard copyright fee is also after the ongoing operating income into.

NetEase earnings report, in September 2009, NetEase started operating "World of Warcraft," a significant increase in revenue in 2010, Netease annual revenue of 5.7 billion yuan (858 million U.S. dollars) in 2009 to 3.8 billion yuan, up Increased by 50%.

However, with the "World of Warcraft" heat cooling and mobile game era, Blizzard into the field of mobile games is relatively slow.

Blizzard reported first quarter results for the first quarter of this year, net revenues of 1.11 billion U.S. dollars, down 16%. In the face of revenue decline, Blizzard has already begun the layout of mobile games. Blizzard launched "Hearthstone: Warcraft Heroes" free strategy card game, as Blizzard into the field of mobile handset key products, "Hearthstone" iPad version has been officially launched in April. Wealth disclosure, "Hearthstone" currently has more than 10 million registered users worldwide.

There are games for the "Hearthstone" content of the game media to the 21st Century Business Herald reporter reflects the current viewing Hearthstone content related to mobile and PC-side user ratio is about 4: 6, and this 4 into the user must All users of Hearthstone will be able to view, so the number of players on the Hearthstone mobile terminal can be presumed to be 30% retained.

Li Riqiang told reporters in the 21st Century Business Herald that mobile games will have some unique characteristics in the operation details, such as the promotion channels of mobile devices and user payment methods.

According to 21st Century Business Herald reporter, on the mobile side, the content, channels and forms of cooperation between the two parties are even more diversified. For example, Netease as a partner in the operation of the parties rely on the amount of Blizzard users for their product diversion, such as "Hearthstone" Golden League full, easy letter as a registration, entry, schedule and so the overall process tools, NetEase Blizzard to promote their products. Similarly, Netease news client to join Blizzard games a subscription channel, Netease since the study of the game did not get this treatment.

Success probability controversy

In fact, the proportion of developers during the cruise period is very large. After all, the high R & D cost of terminal tours and the accumulation of technology are very high. Therefore, developers have high barriers to entry.

In an interview with 21st Century Business Herald, former EA (Electronic Arts, NASDAQ: ERTS) executive and addictive net CEO, Chen Yang said that it is a common business model for game developers to authorize publishers to run their business. NetEase and Blizzard set up a joint venture during the tour this cooperation model, a deeper degree of binding some of the proceeds, NetEase heavily valued Blizzard accumulated research and development in the terminal, they will think Blizzard's next tour Success will be much higher than other companies.

However, it is worth noting that the threshold of the mobile games industry is now low and far greater than the threshold. In other words, the increase in the number of athletes leads to a fiercer competition in the mobile games industry. In such a situation, the success of a single product More or less likely to be the number of products diluted.

"In this respect, the motivation for continuing to lock down a company's products will be low," said Chen Yang, but in general, developers have some confidence that both parties will create a mismatch between expectations.

Therefore, at present in the field of mobile games industry, rare similar to Netease and Blizzard's cooperation model, many R & D companies prefer to choose their own independent cooperation programs, even if the A-share company acquired a wholly owned developer of this layer of capital The same is true. Such as Palm Technology acquisition of "big head" developers to play crab technology, although Palm technology has the priority of the issue of its products, but the acquisition program, it is clear that crab technology in the publishers and distribution programs have autonomy .

However, Chen Yang believes that although the industry has this feature, but the model of the NetEase + Blizzard is different, the mobile game era they still have the opportunity to "copy the peak."

"First, Blizzard still has strong R & D capabilities, but their chances of success with products will be diluted, but with R & D capabilities as strong as Blizzard, they are immediately diluted and scored significantly better than other developers." Chen Yang said, and unlike other terminal operators, NetEase in the field of mobile Internet is a certain accumulation, they have the ability to operate mobile games.

In fact, in addition to a handful of celebrity products, it is very difficult to reach the level of excursion in the single-product breakout of mobile games. In the longer term, as the number of products increases, the attraction to users is dispersed. Chances will be more reduced. The characteristics of mobile games in addition to short life cycle, the breadth and depth of mobile game users to be higher than the terminal.

"Mobile games industry is an era of universal game, for the industry is not the explosion of a single product, the user's imagination is the mobile games industry selling point." Chen Yang believes that if we want to measure a company in the field of mobile games Brilliant, can not be the same as the travel time rely on a product market, said the company has been successful, and for Netease + Blizzard this model, you should see Blizzard whether there is a continuous high-quality products, and also PubMed Netease Continuous operation ability.

In addition, the port of entry during the travel time only PC browser, and now the era of mobile gaming channels become more dispersed, there are hand travel industry told reporters in the 21st Century Business Herald, the beginning of some of the mobile game channel regret, this year's channel user growth The ratio is lower than last year, the service capacity in the industrial chain is more refined, this time channel is not a big problem. Netease Blizzard Cooperation Department insiders told 21st Century Business Herald reporter, there are also some major channel to find Netease, not divided into fees to access "Hearthstone."

Chen Yang believes that the current Blizzard's revenue is declining, there is a sense of crisis for the mobile games into the future with the development of smart phone hardware conditions, heavy games will be the next growth point, and this type of game is Blizzard's advantage . "From the Hearthstone version of the update and overseas operations and other aspects, as an insider to see them in the field of mobile games to spend a lot of thought." Chen Yang said Netease's community-based operational capacity is The industry model, but only from the perspective of a single product, according to the above logic, they suffer some. "But overall the market is still developing and they still have a chance."