The Wall Street Journal has posted a blog entry discussing World of Fight, a new game coming to China by The9 Ltd. The company is currently hosting World of Warcraft in China, but that contract officially ends in June. Activision Blizzard has awarded Netease the license for the next three years.

The layout and fonts used on the recently launched World of Fight Web site look similar to the Chinese WoW page. Also, the URL for World of Fight, www.wofchina.com, is only one letter off the Chinese WoW address, www.wowchina.com. According to the blog, "industry observers wonder whether The9 is launching a 'shanzhai,' or knockoff, World of Warcraft in hopes of keeping WoW players."

Can the "soon to come" World of Fight complete with World of Warcraft? Analyst Zhao Xufeng from Shanghai-based research firm iResearch said The9 can attract attention with this manuever, but ultimately doesn't have "the technical ability to copy WoW."