Alibaba unit ordered to pay NetEase US$7.2 million over game copyright violation

A CHINESE court has ordered an Alibaba Group unit that developed the hit mobile game Three Kingdoms Tactics to pay NetEase 50 million yuan (S$9.5 million) in compensation over copyright infringement, according to a statement from the gaming firm.

Ejoy, the Alibaba subsidiary behind the hugely popular strategy game, said on microblogging site Weibo that it would appeal the decision of the Guangzhou court, and that the game will continue to operate.

The fine, if upheld through the appeal, would be one of the heftiest issued by a court in China involving video games.

Ejoy was ordered to delete 79 items which were considered to have infringed on the copyrights of Shuai Tu Zhi Bin, another popular strategy game developed by NetEase, according to the court’s ruling.

The Alibaba unit said in its statement the court rejected NetEase’s demand to suspend the operation of Three Kingdoms Tactics, while also acknowledging that the game had its own innovations.

The game was launched in September 2019 and has hit more than US$1 billion in lifetime player spending, according to data firm Sensor Tower. REUTERS