Look at this picture and tell me what you think:

Source: 17173.com
For those who can’t read Chinese, the characters that are lighting up the facade of the Shanghai Jinmao Building, purportedly the fourth tallest building in the world, spell out “Yong Heng Zhi Ta,” or simply Aion.
Yes, it’s an advertisement for Shanda Entertainment’s newest acquisition, Aion Online.
Still in the dark about Aion Online? Check out this video on the character classes available in the game:

Is Aion: The Tower of Eternity really that good? What’s the fuss over the addition of six new servers to Aion China? Well, for starters, this is the second time that Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, the game’s operator in China, has added more servers. What makes this bit of news even more interesting is the fact that closed beta only started on March 26, 2009.
Of course, the reason for the putting up of new servers is the fast-growing population. From what I hear from a friend who lives in China, Aion’s population is bursting at the seams. Makes me want …read more

Shanda is moving forward and growing—fast! Just a couple of months ago, Shanda engaged Kingsoft, another online games industry giant, in a strategic partnership for the operation of JX Online World and JX Online II.
Today, Shanda has entered into another partnership, this time with LineKong, an online game developer better known for its product, The Legend of Kung-Fu.

Before I give you the details of the partnership, you might want to know a little more about The Legend of Kung-Fu. Well, the game is touted to be China’s first turn-based kung-fu online game.
The Legend of Kung-Fu is not without its humble …read more

There’s not much to say about this strategic partnership between two industry giants—Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited and Kingsoft Corporation Limited—except that it bodes well for online gaming fanatics in China.
Here’s the nitty-gritty from Shanda’s publicity machine:
Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, or Shanda, a leading interactive entertainment media company in China, has announced the establishment of a strategic cooperation with Kingsoft Corporation Limited, China’s leading entertainment and applications software developer, regarding JX Online World and JX Online II, which are Kingsoft’s in-house developed games. Pursuant to the strategic cooperation, Shanda Games Limited will operate JX Online World, which Kingsoft will also continue …read more

It may be over and done with, but the China Game Industry Annual Conference, held on December 16 at the Great Hall of People in Beijing, has opened the doors to the world for the country’s video games industry. This year’s theme: Scientific Development, Creative Culture and Service Improvement.
Of course, what’s a conference without awarding recognition to the best in the industry. Here’s a list of some of the winners and their company profiles:
Shanda Entertainment
Shanda is a leading interactive entertainment media company in China and offers a variety of Internet-based entertainment services, such as massively multiplayer online role-playing games, casual …read more

It’s understandable, of course, that I’m not participating in the closed beta testing of Company of Heroes Online, a new massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game from Relic Entertainment and China-based online games giant Shanda. At present, the game is only available in China (no surprise there).
For those unfamiliar with Company of Heroes, the real-time strategy computer game on which the online version is based, here’s a brief background:

Company of Heroes is a real-time strategy computer game developed by Relic Entertainment. It was released on September 14, 2006, and was the first title to make use of the Games for …read more

Sigh. I’ve lost my touch. In the closed beta phase of Crazy Kart, a casual massively multiplayer online game developed by Shanda of China and published in my corner of the world by Level Up! Games, I always aced the tracks and beat my opponents.
That was about a month ago. I hit the tracks again a few minutes ago (that is, before my brother-in-law interrupted me with a plea for resurrection in the MMORPG Perfect World) and I came in at second. Second!
Excuse me for a few hours while I go whoop some butt in Crazy Kart. I’ll update you …read more

The headline says it all. But what’s more important than the news that the Shanghai online games industry is raking in the big bucks? It’s how they did it—by encouraging the development of musical, dancing and sports games. So violence is out and cutsey-patootsey is in? Let’s check out the official announcement of the Shanghai news and publications office based on an interview with China-based online games portal 17173:
Li Xinli, deputy director general of the Shanghai news and publications office, told the press that Shanghai had over 50 online game companies, including some famous ones like Shanda and 9you. There …read more

When I visited friends up at Level Up! Games, Philippine publisher of hit MMORPGs like Ragnarok Online, Perfect World, and RF Online, I received a tip from GM Tristan (mild-mannered Mon Macutay) that if you really want to take top spot in Crazy Kart, the company’s newest baby, you should learn to be patient.
What Mon meant by that was I should stay in second place throughout the race until I found the perfect opportunity to zap the first placer with a lightning bolt (or blow his or her cart to smithereens with a rocket) and leave the sucker sniffing my …read more

Yeah, call me a sucker for casual racing games. I can’t, for the life of me, explain why Crazy Kart, a new massively multiplayer online racing game from Level Up! Games, appeals to my gamer genes. Hey, don’t get me wrong. I love racing games. The Need For Speed series always tops my list of favorite PC games. But a cutesy-patootsey online racing game?
Methinks I should investigate this phenomenon better by playing more Crazy Kart. Meantime, while I log in to the game to take myriad snapshots, content yourself with this video posted on YouTube by the game’s Philippine publisher.