Perfect World hosted a media conference in Shanghai on July 30, 2014 at which company CEO Xiao Hong gave a speech on how games will change the future. He mentioned company achievements in the areas of generating Internet entertainment, globalization, and new partnerships, and gave a brief on the company’s strategic planning for the future.
The media conference officially kicked off at 2:00 pm Beijing time with China Central Television’s well-known sporting event commentator Liu Jianhong acting as MC for the event. He set the tone of the event from the start when he engaged in a virtual interaction with Tiger, Perfect World’s mascot. In addition, Messrs. Liu and Xiao, both authoritative figures in their respective fields, discussed the relationship between sports and gaming. They agreed that sports originated from games, that games are an important part of sports, and that the future looks promising for an increased convergence between the two. Following the discussion, Xiao Hong gave a detailed presentation on the general development trends for the game industry and the company’s efforts and adjustment to the shifting structure of the entire gaming sector.
In the home entertainment sector, Perfect World has acquired China’s leading host game channel TGBUS Corporation. At the media conference, Mr. Xiao disclosed that Perfect World will form a strategic cooperation with Microsoft’s Xbox One platform during ChinaJoy.
Mr. Xiao noted that Perfect World proactively made investments, undertook some mergers and acquisitions as well as some independent R&D activities, in addition to forming global partnerships based on the company’s understanding of the characteristics of Internet entertainment technology. As a first step, Perfect World acquired top-level studios such as Cryptic Studios and Runic Games. The company then followed up with the independent development of several engines and some core technologies such as 3D modeling and rendering. Finally, the company’s global investment and agent arm, PWIN, the first such effort in China’s game field, has invested in more than 20 firms and acted as an agent for over 10 promising game products.
Mr. Xiao said future games will further change our lifestyles, with areas such as traffic, healthcare, education, and scientific research becoming emerging fields in entertainment. Through the creation of practical applications for entertainment technologies, people will have game-inspired fun in the real world. As for the future development of the game sector, Perfect World has established a research institute for new generation Internet technology in Guangdong province. The institute will focus on research of related technologies and provide technical support for the development of the sector.
Perfect World plans to become much more actively engaged in bringing talented individuals into the sector and training them, as well as in furthering additional partnerships on a global level. Currently, the company is preparing to establish an international digital art academy in Guangdong and has signed strategic cooperation agreements with several of the world’s leading colleges and universities, among them Moscow State University, providing a recruitment channel to assures that the sector continues to be fed by a high level of talent and setting up the sector to become an industry that directly improves the quality of life for everyone.
In addition, Perfect World is further enhancing its cooperation with partners around the world and has formed partnerships with Hi-Media and Huaxi Village, among other institutes. The company’s cooperation with Microsoft’s Xbox One platform is testament to the success of the company’s strategy of gradually and continually extending its global R&D and operations as well as deepening the relationship with its global partners.
