Minecraft will now be finally rolled out for players in China as Microsoft and Mojang found a legal way by inking a deal with NetEase, a Chinese software publisher.
NetEase, Microsoft and Mojang have recently announced that they have a five-year exclusive agreement to license the Minecraft video game on both the PC and mobile version. However, the agreement requires that the game should be modified and re-developed first to be designed for the Chinese market.
There is no doubt that Minecraft is one of the largest unexpected successes in video gaming history. It allows players to build their own home, city or even kingdom.
Players of all ages in almost all parts of the world enjoy playing Minecraft and it does not make sense that Microsoft, who bought the franchise from Mojang, would not penetrate the large market in China. The current 100 million registered Minecraft players across the globe would surely increase once the game is rolled out to the Chinese market.
NetEase CEO William Ding said in a press release that they are excited to bring the game to Chinese audiences. He claimed that they have a "deep understanding" of the market which makes them the perfect partner for such a big video game release.
Unfortunately, all parties have not commented on what the tailored version of Minecraft would entail. One possible change could be the user interface where the English words would be replaced by Traditional of Simplified Chinese.
The characters in the game could also be changed in terms of their appearance. There could also be additions in the mobs and animals in game.
Launching a video game in China requires a lot of paper work for foreign companies. Developers and publishers would have to file six permits in total, Ars Technica reported.
The workaround for the foreign game developers is to work with local publishers instead. China has a huge market and the companies have really no choice but to comply with the rules and regulations if they want their game to be released.
Microsoft and Mojang will have to announce what features will be new in the Minecraft version for the Chinese market. More players from China will be able to connect with millions of the players in the game.