internet - After Shanda, now The9?

Earlier this year the once-successful gaming company Shanda came into problems as their one-game operation was not able to diversify into more successful games, and started to fall apart. Now the domestic operator of World of Warcraft The9, claiming 4.3 million paying accounts in China, faces exactly the same problem.
A stream of rumors suggest The9 is at the mercy of the owner of the game, who has not allowed the Chinese company to upgrade its game, because it wants a bigger part of the revenues. The9 dilemma: not a decent alternative.
The China Stock Blog gives the latest conference call of The9 with analysts on its Q1 2006 Earning.