I’m getting confused by the translation of titles from Chinese to English. Last time I checked, this latest online game from LineKong Entertainment Technology Co. Ltd. was called Blooded Westward Journey. Recently, online games portal 17173 labeled the game as Westward Journey. Now, in an official press release from LineKong, what was once known as Blooded Westward Journey and simply Westward Journey is now Journey to the West. Fortunately, the title of an MMORPG doesn’t really impact much on how it is received by players.

Here’s an excerpt from the official announcement:

LineKong Entertainment Technology Co. Ltd., a leading third-generation enterprise in the Chinese online gaming industry, has officially launched its first independently developed game Journey to the West. This is the first time that LineKong has demonstrated its own research and development strength since its establishment, and this product is currently the only online game based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

As a 2D massively multiplayer online action role-playing game, Journey to the West is developed by Neptune Studio, a subsidiary of LineKong. The game uses LineKong’s self-developed game engine and is designed to truly reproduce the “Havoc in Heaven,” “Thrice Defeats the Skeleton Demon,” “Havoc in the Dragon King’s Palace,” and other classic plot points from the story. At the same time, the game will stay true to the elements of the novel that people are familiar with in a realistic way so that players can truly experience the original Journey to the West.

“Journey to the West is the heavyweight masterpiece which has been in development since the establishment of LineKong. The game was developed by our domestic, first-class R&D team which is up to one hundred members. I believe that this realistic style game will break the current market status of themes on the westward journey. At the same time, it is a signal which declares that LineKong will enter into the phase of mass production. And for the third generation online game enterprise, it is also the foundation of our rapid rise,” said Wang Feng, chief executive officer of LineKong.

LineKong is a young interactive entertainment enterprise founded in March of 2007. The company specializes in the development and operation of online games. LineKong has built a perfect R&D center, an operation and service center, and a marketing and sales network covering all of China. The company has many large online games such as The Legend of Kung Fu, Hero, Warrior King, and Super Adventurer, and its products can be categorized as turn-based games, ARPGs and casual games.

Concept artwork for Journey to the West downloaded from the LineKong site.

Post from: MMOtaku

If the list of Top 15 Most Expected Online Games in China is to be believed, the popularity of South Korean-made Ragnarok Online 2: Gate of the World is starting to flounder.

Is it because of its delayed release? Last year, the online gaming markets in several Asian countries were abuzz with news about the release of Ragnarok Online 2 that had been originally slated for December 2007 (at least in the Philippines).

Closing the gates to the refurbished Rune Midgard in the ancient land of China are three upstarts, namely Dungeon and Warrior, SGC Online, and Fun Online. Ragnarok Online 2, or RO2, has been knocked down in the rankings from 9th place to 12th place.

Here’s this week’s Top 15 Most Expected Online Games in China:

1. Chinese Paladin Online, developed by Softstar and operated by 9you

2. Jian Wang 3, developed and operated by Kingsoft

3. Cang Tian Online, developed by Wemade and operated by Shanda

4. Wushuang Online, developed by Koei and operated by Tianxi

5. Cibi, developed and operated by Perfect Space

6. Fantasy Journey Online, developed by Lingo Soft and operated by 9you

7. Dragonball Online, developed by Ntl-inc

8. Aion, developed by NCsoft and operated by Shanda

9. Dungeon and Warrior, developed by NEOPLE and operated by NHN

10. SGC Online, developed and operated by Gamlaxy International

11. Fun Online, developed by Tqdigital and operated by Netdragon

12. Ragnarok Online 2, developed by Gravity and operated by 9th City

13. Gear War Online, developed by CYKAN and operated by DDTONG

14. Cross Fire, developed by SmileGate and operated by Tencent

15. Kingdom of Warriors, developed by Webzen and operated by Ourgame

Post from: MMOtaku

1. Chinese Paladin Online, developed by Softstar and operated by 9you

2. Jian Wang 3, developed and operated by Kingsoft

3. Dragonball Online, developed by Ntl-inc

4. Cang Tian Online, developed by Wemade and operated by Shanda

5. Aion, developed by NCsoft and operated by Shanda

6. Wushuang Online, developed by Koei Games and operated by Tianxi

7. Fantasy Journey Online, developed by Lingo Soft and operated by 9you

8. Ragnarok Online II, developed by Gravity and operated by 9th City

9. Gear War Online, developed by CYKAN and operated by DDTONG

10. Kingdom of Warriors, developed by Webzen

How about you? What online games are you waiting for?

Post from: MMOtaku