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BEIJING, CHINA, September 9, 2009 ¨C 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 www.sohu.com; interactive search
engine www.sogou.com; #1 games information portal www.17173.com; the top real
estate website www.focus.cn; #1 online alumni club www.chinaren.com; wireless
value-added services provider www.goodfeel.com.cn; leading online mapping
service provider www.go2map.com; and developer and operator of online games
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 E-mail: ir@contact.sohu.com
Ms. Cathy Li Ogilvy Financial, Beijing Tel:+86 (10)
8520-6104 E-mail: cathy.li@ogilvy.com
In the United States:
Ms. Jessica Barist Cohen Ogilvy Financial, New York Tel:+1 (646)
460-9989 E-mail: jessica.cohen@ogilvypr.com |