NTES – FF2 status part1 - Game development finished by 9/9/2008

My last post on FF2 can be found here:
http://chinese-net-gaming-stock.blogspot.com/2008/07/ntes-dt2-and-ff2-go-into-beta-testing.html

There are significant developments for this nice new game NTES is developing. This development also illustrated the jekell and hyde personality of NTES the company.

On 8/13/2008, NTES had the 2Q earning conference. In it, it provided virtually zero information to the Wall Street analysts.

A week later, on 8/20/2008, FF2’s lead designer spent a whole day on FF2 official forum to answer players’ questions. It provided extremely detailed answers on the game design, play features, and schedule of FF2.

This is actually rather typical for NTES. The amount of details NTES’s game designers gave to game players is extraordinarily thorough and is definitely much more meticulous than other game companies.

FF2’s lead designer written the following 5 threads (be warned, it will be a very long read):
http://ff.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=3746250&extra=page%3D1
http://ff.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=3747244&extra=page%3D1
http://ff.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=3747320&extra=page%3D1
http://ff.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=3747454&extra=page%3D1
http://ff.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=3747523&extra=page%3D1

The amount of information included in the above links is extraordinary. In addition to the wealth of information on the design philosophy and game playing features, the lead designer also has a firm date of 9/9/2008 for when his design team will finish the development. He however has no idea when the actual open beta will be. NTES may have other (marketing related) consideration that will impact the schedule of FF2’s open beta date.

A Korean company originally developed Fly for Fun. At the beginning, it was really just an advanced casual game.

NTES purchased the right to the software source code as well as the right to modify its software programming. NTES spent quite a few years completely re-worked this game from the ground up. They even completely re-do the underlining game engine.

From the above links, it is clear that this version of FF2 is completely different than the one outside of China (the original FF1 game).

Rather than an advanced casual game, FF2 had been completely morphed into a full fledged MMORPG game.

Like TX2, it is a 3D game. Like XYQ, it is a Q-style game. But unlike all other Netease games, it is purely a western style game. It is also a real time game. It will be a free to play game. Therefore, FF2 will occupy an unique place (all Netease games have traditional Chinese themes).

No Wall Street analysts had even mentioned this game at all. Maybe they didn’t realize that NTES had converted this game into a full-fledged MMORPG game. I will go against the grain; I will predict that FF2 will be a very successful game (in terms of contributing to the revenue mix).

Again, this is another perfect example that NTES just won’t provide any information to the Wall Street analysts.