According to a company insider, Zhu Jun, the chairman and CEO of Shanghai-based online game company The9 (Nasdaq:NCTY), told employees at an internal meeting last Friday that The9 will initiate a new set of policies, including the issue of new stock options, in an effort to retain employees dedicated to the company's licensed 3D MMORPG World of Warcraft (WoW), reports Sina. During the meeting, Zhu stated that there is still a chance for WoW to be reborn and asked employees not to give up until the last minute. Company sources said The9 President Xiaowei Chen is still in U.S. negotiating with WoW developer Blizzard Entertainment.

17173.com relayed unsourced information on Monday that Blizzard Entertainment may need to pay The9 as much as $100 million in compensation for failing to renew the licensing agreement for WoW. The9's license on the game is scheduled to expire in June, after which NetEase (Nasdaq:NTES) will take over operation for a three-year period.