NetEase Games Acquires Minority Stake in Quantic Dream
NetEase Games, the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES), one of China's largest internet companies, today
announced that it has acquired a minority stake in Quantic Dream S.A. to further the development and distribution of global online
games.
Quantic Dream will continue to operate independently under the direction of industry veterans David Cage and Guillaume de
Fondaumière. Quantic Dream defines and leads the interactive storytelling game, a creative game genre. With 22 years of experience,
this AAA studio has successfully launched several worldwide blockbusters, including Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become
Human™. This strategic investment aims to support the studio’s vision of becoming a global, multi-franchise entertainment
company, and to develop advanced technologies and games for the future.
“With a strong focus on in-house development, we are constantly looking for partners that complement us in the development and
creation of the next generation of games,” said Ethan Wang, VP of NetEase, Inc. “Quantic Dream’s excellence in interactive
storytelling and the valuable expertise it has built over the past two decades is exactly what we have been looking for. We are
pleased to partner with Quantic Dream and we hope to create incredible game experiences for players all around the globe.”
“The landscape of the gaming industry will go through major evolutions in the coming years, with new hardware to come, new
business models to explore and new ways of playing to invent,” said Quantic Dream CEO and Creative Director David Cage. “We want
Quantic Dream to take a key role in this exciting future and having NetEase by our side as a strategic partner will allow us to
expand our creative vision and develop the company to its fullest potential. NetEase understands what Quantic is about as they
share our passion for high quality games and our ambitions for the studio.”
"We have been impressed by NetEase’s vision, their commitment to quality and innovation, and their impressive track record and
know how in crafting and operating some of the most popular games on the planet,” continued Guillaume de Fondaumière, Co-CEO of
Quantic Dream. “Partnering with NetEase will open new opportunities for our studio and strengthen our position as pioneers and
innovators.”
About NetEase Games
NetEase Games is the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES), developing and operating some of China’s most
popular PC-client and mobile games. As one of the world’s largest incubators of quality online game content, NetEase Games is
dedicated to supporting the growth of innovative studios around the globe and growing an international presence along the way. To
complement its self-developed games and world-class R&D capabilities, NetEase Games also partners with other industry leaders
including Blizzard Entertainment, Mojang AB (a Microsoft subsidiary) and other global game developers to operate some of the most
popular international online games in China.
About Quantic Dream
Quantic Dream is a French video game studio that leads the world in interactive storytelling. Founded 22 years ago by David Cage
to create AAA games based on emotion and interactive storytelling, Quantic Dream has been at the forefront of innovation in
narrative, popularizing the genre of choice-dependent stories. The studio, that worked exclusively with Sony during the past 12
years, created thought-provoking games like Fahrenheit™ (aka Indigo Prophecy in North America), Heavy Rain™,
Beyond: Two Souls™, and more recently Detroit: Become Human™. The studio’s medium-defining titles have showcased
world-class talents including David Bowie, Ellen Page, Willem Dafoe, Hans Zimmer and Jesse Williams. Quantic Dream has developed
proprietary technologies and original franchises since its creation, with the support of millions of gamers around the world.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.quanticdream.com.
NetEase Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions
of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such
as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. The accuracy of
these statements may be impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected or anticipated, including the risk that the market for PC-client and mobiles games in China and
other countries in which NetEase Games operate may not grow as rapidly as expected or at all, the risk that NetEase Games’
investments and partnerships will not generate adequate returns, the impact of governmental regulation, competition in the online
game market, and other risks outlined in NetEase, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NetEase, Inc. does
not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as required under applicable law.
NetEase Contact:
Margaret Shi
NetEase, Inc.
ir@service.netease.com
Tel: (+86) 571-8985-3378
Quantic Dream Contact:
Alexa Bowers
B/HI
alexa_bowers@bhimpact.com
Tel: +1 (310) 694-3112
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190129005307/en/