Shanda's (Nasdaq:SNDA) licensed pay-for-time western fantasy MMORPG AION recorded more than 1 million paying users by April 19 in the five server farms in commercial operation. The game began charging RMB 0.48 per hour with the release of its first commercial operation version 1.0, "Yao Sai Pan Long," on April 16.

Shanghai Bailian Group's (600631.SH) e-commerce subsidiary spent RMB 200 million to obtain exclusive agent rights of the company's "green" recharging card for AION, reports Shanghai Business Daily quoting a Bailian E-commerce source. The subsidiary operates e-commerce site lhok.blemall.com and recorded online sales of RMB 610 million in the first quarter, up 113% year-on-year, said the report.