April 13, 2009
Shanda Games to Start Commercial Launch of AION on April 16, 2009
Shanghai, China – April 13, 2009 – Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (NasdaqGS: SNDA) ("Shanda" or the "Compan") today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Shanda Games Limited ("Shanda Games" or "SDG") plans to start commercial launch of AION: The Tower of Eternity ("AION"), a highly anticipated massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in its games portfolio, on April 16, 2009.
Since the launch of unlimited closed-beta testing on April 8, 2009, AION has been well received by players on the strength of its elaborate graphic design and innovative game play. On the first day of testing, Shanda Games opened 80 servers for AION to meet increasing player demands. Shanda Games will offer the commercialized version of AION entitled "Dragon Fortress" starting April 16, 2009.
"We are very pleased with our users' overwhelming response to and popularity of AION during this short period, which we believe further validates the success of our multi-channel strategy to source content for our games portfolio," said Ms. Diana Li, Chief Executive Officer of Shanda Games. "Our content sourcing and management capabilities coupled with marketing and operational expertise, talent and constant innovation is the foundation for our continuing growth. We believe we will be able to provide AION users with the best possible gaming experience."
AION is a 3D MMORPG developed by NCsoft, a leading Korean game developer. The game combines an eastern-style focus on detailed visuals and design with western action-oriented game-play. In AION, players must fight to save a beautiful and vibrant world from being destroyed by a celestial war. During their adventures, players’ characters earn the ability to fly which adds a fun and strategic dimension to the game-play.
As a visually stunning fantasy 3D MMORPG, AION has received much acclaim and multiple awards since its release in Korea. The game was selected as the "Most Anticipated Online Game in 2009" at the 2008 China Game Industry Annual Conference and the "Most Anticipated Online Game of the Year" at the 2008 Annual Conference of the Chinese e-Game Industry. Both these awards are considered among the most prestigious within China's online game industry.
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