Duty calls: Free online game for China

By PETER RANSCOMBE
Published on 04/07/2012 00:00

AMERICA’S largest computer games maker aims to launch its popular Call of Duty title as a free-to-play online game in China in a bid to expand its footprint in Asia.

Activision Blizzard yesterday unveiled a partnership with Tencent Holdings, an internet and wireless services provider that will have an exclusive licence to run the game in China.

Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard’s chief executive, said: “We think China is one of the most-exciting places in the world for us to grow our business and to develop innovative new games.”

The company had hinted over the past year that a free-to-play Call of Duty game for China was in development.

Chinese players favour free-to-play online titles, with games publishers then making money by selling them “virtual goods” – like weapons and maps – at relatively-low costs.

The firm’s other titles include games based on James Bond, Spider-man and X-Men.