World of Warcraft – Revenue Model Shifts in China – Now Subscription-Based

NetEase and Blizzard have shifted the revenue model for World of Warcraft in China. Up to the shift, Chinese players paid in hour-by-hour increments. With the launch of the Legion expansion, Chinese players are now required to pay a monthly subscription up front in order to play. NetEase brought in $37M in August compared to only $8M in July, presumably as a result of the change in revenue generation.