Sohu.com Announces Launch of 'Blade Hero 2' by Changyou.com
September 09 2009 - 6:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
BEIJING, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Sohu.com Inc. (NASDAQ:SOHU),
China's leading online media, communications, search, online games
and mobile value-added services company, today announced that its
massively multi-player online role-playing game ("MMORPG")
subsidiary, Changyou.com Limited ("Changyou") (NASDAQ:CYOU), has
launched Blade Hero 2, a new 2.5D martial arts-style fighting
massively multi-player online role-playing game. Blade Hero 2,
created as a sequel to Changyou's existing game Blade Online,
features a fighting and team-combat system that allows players to
experiment with authentic fighting techniques and weapons from
different sects of martial arts, including the use of hidden
weapons, as well as deploy Chinese combat strategies in battles.
Blade Hero 2 also employs Changyou's dynamic graphic technology,
which can exhibit detailed fighting moves and other special effects
to enhance the virtual fighting experience. Dr. Charles Zhang,
Sohu's chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We are pleased
to announce the launch of Blade Hero 2, which supports our strategy
to further diversify our game portfolio. Blade Hero 2 includes
popular features, and we expect the game to further expand our user
base." Blade Hero 2 began its ultimate closed beta testing today
and is now publicly available for game players to download. All
game account data will be saved permanently without cancellation.
About Changyou Changyou.com Limited's ("Changyou") (NASDAQ:CYOU)
massively multi-player online role-playing games ("MMORPG")
business began operations as a business unit within Sohu.com Inc.
(NASDAQ:SOHU) in 2003. Changyou was carved out as a separate,
stand-alone company in December 2007 and is now a leading developer
and operator of online games in China and completed an initial
public offering on April 7, 2009. Changyou currently operates three
online games, including the in-house developed Tian Long Ba Bu, one
of the most popular online games in China, and the licensed Blade
Online and Blade Hero 2. Changyou's pipeline games include the
licensed Immortal Faith, Legend of the Ancient World, and the
in-house developed Duke of Mount Deer, which received an award as
one of China's most anticipated online games. Changyou's leading
technology platform includes an advanced 2.5D graphics engine, a
uniform game development platform, effective anti-cheating and
anti-hacking technologies, proprietary cross-networking technology
and advanced data protection technology. For more information about
Changyou, please visit http://www.changyou.com/en/ . About Sohu.com
Sohu.com Inc. (NASDAQ:SOHU) is China's premier online brand and
indispensable to the daily life of millions of Chinese, providing a
network of web properties and community based/web 2.0 products
which offer the vast Sohu user community a broad array of choices
regarding information, entertainment and communication. Sohu has
built one of the most comprehensive matrices of Chinese language
web properties and proprietary search engines, consisting of the
mass portal and leading online media destination
http://www.sohu.com/ ; interactive search engine
http://www.sogou.com/ ; #1 games information portal
http://www.17173.com/ ; the top real estate website
http://www.focus.cn/ ; #1 online alumni club
http://www.chinaren.com/ ; wireless value-added services provider
http://www.goodfeel.com.cn/ ; leading online mapping service
provider http://www.go2map.com/ ; and developer and operator of
online games http://www.changyou.com/ . Sohu corporate services
consist of brand advertising on its matrix of websites as well as
paid listing and bid listing on its in-house developed search
directory and engines. Sohu also offers wireless value-added
services such as news, information, music, ringtone and picture
content sent over mobile phones. The Company's massively
multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) subsidiary,
Changyou.com (NASDAQ:CYOU), currently operates three MMORPGs, Tian
Long Ba Bu, Blade Online and Blade Hero 2. Sohu.com, established by
Dr. Charles Zhang, one of China's internet pioneers, is in its
thirteenth year of operation. Safe Harbor Statement This
announcement contains forward-looking statements. Statements that
are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs
and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements
are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and
therefore you should not place undue reliance on them.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the current global
financial and credit markets crisis and its potential impact on the
Chinese economy, the slower growth the Chinese economy experienced
during the latter half of 2008, and first half of 2009 which could
continue through the remainder of 2009, the uncertain regulatory
landscape in the People's Republic of China, fluctuations in Sohu's
quarterly operating results, EPS dilution resulting from Changyou's
initial public offering, Sohu's historical and possible future
losses, and its reliance on online advertising sales, online games
and wireless services (most wireless revenues are collected from a
few mobile network operators) for its revenues. Further information
regarding these and other risks is included in Sohu's annual report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, and other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For investor
and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Mr. James Deng
Senior Finance Director Sohu.com Inc. Tel: +86-10-6272-6596 Email:
Ms. Cathy Li Ogilvy Financial, Beijing Tel: +86-10-8520-6104 Email:
In the United States: Ms. Jessica Barist Cohen Ogilvy Financial,
New York Tel: +1-646-460-9989 Email: DATASOURCE: Sohu.com Inc.
CONTACT: In China: James Deng, Senior Finance Director of Sohu.com
Inc., +86-10-6272-6596, or ; Cathy Li of Ogilvy Financial, Beijing,
+86-10-8520-6104, or ; or In the United States: Jessica Barist
Cohen of Ogilvy Financial, New York, +1-646-460-9989, or Web site:
http://www.changyou.com/en http://www.sohu.com/
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