Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Latest World of Warcraft Expansion Blocked In China

Posted by Soulskill on from the mourn-the-farmers dept.

The Opposable Thumbs blog reports that World of Warcraft's most recent expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, is not being allowed into the Chinese market. The Escapist brings further details, saying, "According to an insider, two specific shortcomings included the presence of skeleton characters and a 'city raid.' Nor did the submitted version contain the starting area for the game's new Death Knight class." The Chinese version of World of Warcraft has been modified in the past to remove skeletons and zombies.

5 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. Re:WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If we combine chinese and US censorship, will there be anything left?

  2. Re:Lobby price too low by gzipped_tar · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, probably I forgot to explain myself. In the Chinese login screen the frost wyrm is just missing. "Harmonize" is a sarcastic term used by Chinese people to mean "censor", as a pun on the government's self-proclaimed goal of "developing a harmonious society" ;)

    --
    Colorless green Cthulhu waits dreaming furiously.
  3. Lobbying at work, not censorship. by mynickslongerthanurs · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually censorship does not contribute as much as lobbying from competition in this case.

    WOW has dominated the Chinese MMORPG market for years and currently all the OTHER MMORPG companies are spending big fortunes on lobbying (aka bribing) the "department of (anti-)culture" to delay WLK as much as they can. They know that WOW will eat their lunch with the new expansion pack and one more day delay of WLK's debut means gain in millions for them.

    So as any corrupt agency will do, the DOC is busy inventing ridiculous reasons to deny clearance for the game. "Oh noes! References like the Massacre of Stratholme are so harmful for the helpless minds of our young people! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!1!".

    I don't think Nineth City (agent for WOW mainland) has much chance in this "9C vs Everyone Else" war. By the way, almost all my WOWer friends have quit playing and those who are really into that game (shame on them) have switched to servers in Taiwan anyway.

    Oh yeah I am Chinese. No penis jokes please.

    1. Re:Lobbying at work, not censorship. by Ogive17 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Oh yeah I am Chinese. No penis jokes please."

      I can't resist quoting this after seeing your user name :). Compensation?

      --
      "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
  4. Re:This is the least of your problems. by xtracto · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A small nipple? a small female nipple that was seen in 4 video frames and which those you are "protecting" have been touching and sucking daily ?

    THIS is what you are going to worry about?

    --
    Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'I can't configure Debian'