On July 30, 2026, Shengqu Games, a subsidiary of Century Huatong (002602.SZ), and Korean game developer NC held a joint "Yiqi" new product launch event in Shanghai. They officially announced a cooperation agreement for the exclusive agency and operation of the major next-generation fantasy MMORPG AION2 (Chinese translation: Eternal Tower 2) in mainland China. This move marks a significant upgrade in the strategic partnership between the two companies, which has spanned 17 years based on the Eternal Tower IP, and adds a core asset to Shengqu Games' product matrix and premium strategy within the MMO segment.

Long-term operations have validated the IP's resilience, while joint development expands its value boundaries. Since Shengqu Games (formerly Shanda Games) introduced the Eternal Tower PC game to the Chinese market in 2009, the product has established a stable user base and brand recognition in the domestic MMORPG market, thanks to its differentiated flight combat mechanics and factional confrontation system. The two parties have continuously deepened their collaboration over this period, launching a joint development project for the mobile game Eternal Tower: Classic in November 2025. This effort extended the IP assets to the mobile platform, laying a foundation of mutual trust and collaborative experience for securing the agency rights for the sequel in China. At the launch event, NC Founder and CEO Kim Taek-jin stated that Eternal Tower's success as a beloved MMORPG is inseparable from the long-term support of Chinese players and the consistent partnership with Shengqu Games. Shengqu Games CEO Peng Cheng noted that over the 17 years since Eternal Tower entered China, Shengqu Games and NC have worked together through the immense changes in the Chinese online gaming industry. By adhering to the long-term development philosophy that "good games deserve long-term investment, and good IPs deserve long-term management," they have successfully turned Eternal Tower into a classic IP with over 100 million registered users. This has led to the booming popularity of the Nostalgia Server and "Nostalgia within Nostalgia" versions, as well as the initiation of the joint R&D project for the Eternal Tower: Classic mobile game, step by step revitalizing the IP.

From a commercial perspective, this cooperation is not a one-time licensing deal but a strategic renewal based on the full lifecycle management of the IP. Shengqu Games will take on the full-chain responsibilities of localization, user acquisition, long-term operations, and community ecosystem building, while NC will focus on underlying technical support and version content iteration. This creates a closed loop of "R&D + Publishing + Operations," reducing cross-cultural market adaptation risks and enhancing the IP's monetization efficiency in the Chinese market. AION2 is built on the Unreal Engine 5, technically expanding the map area by 36 times compared to its predecessor and breaking new ground by integrating full-area free flight into the combat system, creating a three-dimensional PvP/PvE mechanic. The combat model combines traditional MMORPG skill rotation strategies with action game instant judgment logic (including dodging, multi-hit combos, and precise hit feedback), increasing operational depth and the importance of team coordination. Additionally, the character customization system supports over 200 parameter adjustments, enhancing user personal investment and emotional connection.

From a market validation standpoint, after its official launch in South Korea on November 19, 2025, AION2 achieved an average of 1.5 million daily active users during its open beta phase, surpassed 100 billion Korean won in revenue within 46 days of release, and won the Best Game Award at G-STAR 2025. This overseas performance validates the global appeal of its core gameplay and provides a benchmark for predicting customer acquisition costs (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV) for the Chinese server launch. Examining the business structure of Shengqu Games' parent company, Century Huatong, MMORPGs have always been its core competitive advantage. The introduction of AION2 will synergize with existing classic IPs like Legend of Mir 2, The World of Legend, and Dragon Nest, further refining the multi-tier product matrix of "PC games + mobile games + nostalgia servers." In recent years, the company has pursued a dual-platform strategy around these IPs, launching new titles like Legend of Mir 2 New 100 District - Mengzhong Divine Weapon and Dragon Nest World, effectively activating existing users and reaching the Gen Z demographic, demonstrating its capability in classic IP revitalization and generational user transition.

At the industry level, the domestic MMO sector is undergoing a paradigm shift from "traffic-driven" to "quality-driven." According to the Gamma Data 2025 China Game Industry Report, 48.62% of MMO users are aged 18-34, indicating that the core user base is not aging but demanding higher quality and innovative gameplay. Meanwhile, the rising barriers to R&D, capital, and compliance for large-scale MMO products have limited the supply of new entries, creating a "stock premium competition" landscape. With its established IP awareness, next-gen visual quality, and overseas-validated gameplay, AION2 is poised to capture incremental market share during this structural window. Furthermore, the resurgence of the PC game market provides macro-level support for the product's long-term operation. In 2025, China's client game market revenue reached 78.16 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.97%; in the first quarter of 2026, PC game revenue hit 24.976 billion yuan, with the growth rate expanding to 39.38%. PC games, relying on immersive experiences, strong social stickiness, and long-term content updates, remain irreplaceable, providing a stable monetization environment and user retention foundation for heavy MMOs like AION2.

Shengqu Games announced that AION2 will be available for its first offline public trial in China at the Century Huatong booth during the 23rd ChinaJoy from July 31 to August 3, 2026. This initiative serves a dual purpose: product promotion and user research. It aims to leverage the high-traffic event for brand exposure and initial buzz, while using player feedback to optimize localization and new-player guidance, providing data to support user retention and conversion efficiency for the official China server launch. In conclusion, this cooperation not only adds a globally validated, high-quality MMO product to Shengqu Games' portfolio but also solidifies its operational barriers in the large-scale online game space through continued deep ties with NC. Against the backdrop of a recovering PC game market and a clear trend toward premium MMO titles, the launch of AION2 in China is expected to contribute medium-to-long-term revenue growth for the company and further validate the replicability of its "long-term IP operation + cross-platform co-development" strategy. The official launch timeline, pricing strategy, and localization plan for the China server are worth continued market attention.