9You

About 9You

Established in Shanghai in April 2003, 9You (formerly Shanghai Everstar Online Entertainment) emerged as a first-generation internet game operator in China. The company was co-founded by Wang Zijie and Gu Yi, who later became CEO in early 2013. From its inception, 9You focused on importing popular music and dancing web games like 'O2jam' and 'Audition', quickly setting a record as one of the earliest online game operators to serve one million peak concurrent users. This early success helped establish a commercialized model for high-quality music and dance games in the region.

The company's business model centers on operating an online gaming portal that integrates a wide array of services for Chinese-language internet users. These services include MMORPGs, casual games, mobile games, and digital entertainment content, all accessible through a unified account system. This "Single Account, Multiple E-contents" (SAME) approach, combined with a "First Experience, Expense Later" (FEEL) model, proved highly popular. Revenue is generated through the sale of virtual items, such as clothing and accessories for players' in-game avatars, and by licensing its self-developed games to overseas markets.

9You's portfolio is diverse, featuring licensed titles and in-house developed games. A significant part of its business involves acting as the IP licensee, joint developer, and operator for the Gundam game series in Mainland China, including titles like 'SD Gundam Capsule Fighter'. The company also found international success by exporting its own games, such as 'Super Dancer Online' and 'Monster Forest Online', to 42 countries. Recognizing the shift in the market, 9You began transitioning towards mobile gaming in 2012, licensing high-quality IPs and developing mobile versions of its popular titles, such as 'Audition Mobile'. A pivotal moment in its history was a Series C funding round on March 21, 2008, where it raised $100 million from investors led by Temasek to expand its virtual community, GTown. In June 2015, the company was acquired by Hunan TV & Broadcast Intermediary Company.