NetEase and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Collaborate to Develop New Mobile Game, The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War

News provided by

Jun 15, 2020, 07:00 ET

HANGZHOU, China, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES; HKEX: 9999) and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced a strategic partnership for the development of The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War, a new officially licensed mobile strategy game based on the iconic trilogy of books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Set in the Third Age of Middle-earth, this latest title will recreate the fictional world of Arda in a visually stunning and completely faithful rendition, with iconic characters and locations from the original trilogy.

"The Lord of the Rings is one of the most influential and celebrated literary works in the world, and we are thrilled to be able to work with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment again to deliver another exciting game for global players," said William Ding, founder and CEO of NetEase, Inc. "With our deep mobile game development experience, world class R&D team and increasing success in the most established mobile game markets in the world, we are confident we can bring these vibrant characters and spirited world of Middle-earth to life, and impress global fans with an inspiring new way to enjoy The Lord of the Rings."

"With NetEase, we have an excellent partner for The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War bringing gamers the mobile experience in this rich universe they are looking for," said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "This adaptation will unlock new opportunities for players to explore the iconic settings and characters of Middle-earth while utilizing their strategic skills in battle."

NetEase is gaining increasing prominence globally with the strong performance of its high-quality original games and collaborations with world-famous content owners. NetEase is also known for its best-in-class capabilities to deliver rich, exciting gameplay that attracts massive audiences and builds communities across multiple demographics and geographies.

About NetEase, Inc.

As a leading internet technology company based in China, NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES; HKEX: 9999) is dedicated to providing premium online services centered around innovative and diverse content, community, communication and commerce. NetEase's online game division, NetEase Games, is one of the world's largest incubators of quality game content, developing and operating some of China's most popular mobile and PC-client games. NetEase Games has also expanded into international markets in recent years, including Japan and North America, and is dedicated to supporting the growth of innovative studios around the globe to further bolster its international presence. In addition to its self-developed game content, NetEase partners with other leading game developers, such as Blizzard Entertainment and Mojang AB (a Microsoft subsidiary), to operate world-renowned games in China.

NetEase's other innovative service offerings include the intelligent learning services of its majority-controlled subsidiary, Youdao (NYSE: DAO); music streaming through its leading NetEase Cloud Music business; and its private label e-commerce platform, Yanxuan. For more information, please visit: http://ir.netease.com/.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc., is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third-party game titles.

About Middle-earth Enterprises

Inspired by a deep appreciation for the fictional world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Middle-earth Enterprises is dedicated to working with businesses providing quality products in accordance with best green business and sustainability practices, including fair trade, equality in the workplace, and a commitment to protect our earth, its wondrous beauty and the viability of every living creature. The Saul Zaentz Company dba Middle-earth Enterprises, has been producing and licensing films, merchandise and stage productions based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit for more than 40 years. With headquarters located in Berkeley, California, its website may be found at www.middleearth.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "aim," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "may," "estimates," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," "goal," "targets," "guidance," "commits" and similar statements. Among other things, statements that are not historical facts, including statements about business plans and projections, the completion of transactions and the strategic goals of transactions, are or contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. All information contained in this announcement is as of the date of this announcement and are based on assumptions believed to be reasonable as of this date. You should not rely upon these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The parties do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Contact for Investors:

Margaret Shi
NetEase, Inc.
[email protected]
Tel: (+86) 571-8985-3378
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NetEase_Global

Brandi Piacente
Investor Relations
[email protected]
Tel: (+1) 212-481-2050

Contact for Media

NetEase, Inc.
Li Ruohan
Tel: (+86) 571-8985-2668
[email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NetEase_Global

NetEase Games PR
Zhou Zhaoxi
Tel:(+86) 20-85105163 ext.57169
[email protected]

The video game entitled THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RISE TO WAR is developed and published by NetEase Interactive Entertainment Pte. Ltd/ NetEase (Hangzhou) Network Co. Ltd. / Hong Kong NetEase Interactive Entertainment Limited ("NetEase").

THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of SZC under license to WB GAMES INC.

WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s20)

SOURCE NetEase, Inc.