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NetDragon Websoft

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Chinese internet technology company focused on online games, mobile applications, and education technology.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

NetDragon Websoft is a Chinese internet technology company whose principal activities have included the development and operation of massively multiplayer online games, mobile applications, and digital education products. Founded in 1999, the company released its first product in 2002 and established its early identity through online game development and operation. Its portfolio has included original game properties such as Conquer Online and Eudemons Online, as well as games connected with internationally recognized entertainment and game franchises. Some of its products have been distributed outside China, including in the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, North Africa, Portugal, Russia, and Vietnam, with selected titles made available in English and other languages. A notable part of NetDragon's early mobile strategy was its effort to control its own distribution rather than rely entirely on third-party application channels. The company created 91 Wireless, an application-store and mobile-distribution business that offered games and a broad range of other applications. The 91-branded services exposed users to NetDragon's wider software portfolio and represented an attempt to build a direct relationship with mobile users. NetDragon sold 91 Wireless to Baidu in 2013. The transaction was reported as one of the largest deals in China's information-technology sector at the time. Because NetDragon held less than a controlling majority of the business, the proceeds attributable to NetDragon were lower than the headline transaction value. NetDragon began expanding into education technology around 2010, with an ambition to build a large digital learning community. This expansion broadened the company beyond entertainment software and led to a series of acquisitions, partnerships, and investments in classroom technology, educational software, and online learning communities. The company acquired a full stake in UK-listed Promethean World in 2015, acquired American educational-software publisher JumpStart Games in 2017, and acquired Edmodo in 2018. It also partnered with the University of North Texas to establish the UNT-NetDragon Digital Research Centre. These moves gave the company exposure to school technology, educational content, learning platforms, and international education markets. NetDragon's headquarters in Fuzhou, completed in 2014, attracted attention for an architectural design inspired by the Star Trek fictional universe. The building became a visible expression of the company's technology-oriented identity. Alongside its commercial activities, NetDragon has supported youth entrepreneurship through the Fujian NetDragon Youth Business Foundation, which assists young people seeking to establish small businesses. The company therefore combines two related but distinct identities: an online-game developer and operator with a portfolio of original and licensed intellectual property, and an education-technology group assembled through international acquisitions and institutional partnerships. Its historical development has been marked by movement from games into mobile distribution, followed by a larger strategic emphasis on digital education. NetDragon remains a publicly listed Chinese technology company, although the available reference material does not establish a complete current breakdown of its active products, geographic revenue mix, or management roster.

History

NetDragon Websoft was established in China in 1999 and entered the software market with its first product in 2002. Its early and defining business was the creation and operation of massively multiplayer online games. The company developed original game properties, including Conquer Online and Eudemons Online, while also operating games associated with Western entertainment and game intellectual property. Its distribution model extended beyond China: selected original properties were marketed in regions including the CIS, the Middle East, North Africa, Portugal, Russia, and Vietnam, and some titles were offered in English. NetDragon later pursued a direct mobile-distribution strategy. Rather than depending solely on third-party application channels, it developed 91 Wireless, an application-store business carrying games and many other categories of mobile software. The service's 91 branding and its wide application selection helped create a separate distribution point through which users could encounter additional NetDragon products. In 2013, NetDragon sold 91 Wireless to Baidu in a transaction valued in reported coverage at US$1.85 billion. The sale marked a major change in the company's mobile-business structure and was widely characterized as a landmark Chinese technology transaction. Since NetDragon owned less than 58 percent of 91 Wireless, the amount attributable to NetDragon was reported as approximately US$1.06 billion. Education became another major development path. NetDragon began working in education around 2010 with the stated goal of building a large learning community. Its education strategy relied substantially on acquisitions and partnerships. The company established the UNT-NetDragon Digital Research Centre with the University of North Texas, acquired all of UK-listed Promethean World in 2015, announced the purchase of JumpStart Games in 2017, and acquired Edmodo on April 8, 2018. These transactions connected NetDragon with classroom hardware and software, educational publishing and games, online learning communities, and international school technology markets. The completion of the company's Fuzhou headquarters in 2014 provided a prominent physical symbol of its technology identity. The building's design was inspired by Star Trek and received media attention for that reason. NetDragon has also supported youth entrepreneurship through the Fujian NetDragon Youth Business Foundation, which assists young people in starting small businesses. Taken together, NetDragon's history shows a progression from Chinese online games to mobile application distribution and then to a broader international education-technology platform. The company's game business supplied its original commercial foundation, while the education acquisitions expanded its scope into schools, teachers, learners, and digital classroom services. The available reference material confirms that NetDragon is publicly listed and active, but does not provide enough information to describe its complete current operating structure, current executive team, or the status of every acquired product.

  • 2018

    Edmodo is acquired

    [1]

    NetDragon acquires Edmodo, expanding its digital education and learning-community portfolio.

  • 2017

    JumpStart Games acquisition is announced

    [1]

    NetDragon announces the acquisition of American educational-software publisher JumpStart Games.

  • 2015

    Promethean World is acquired

    [1]

    NetDragon acquires a 100 percent stake in UK-listed education-technology company Promethean World.

  • 2014

    Fuzhou headquarters is completed

    [1]

    The company's Star Trek-inspired headquarters in Fuzhou is completed and attracts public attention.

  • 2013

    91 Wireless is sold to Baidu

    [1]

    NetDragon sells its mobile application-store business to Baidu in a transaction reported at US$1.85 billion.

  • 2010

    Education expansion begins

    [1]

    NetDragon begins its education initiative, aiming to develop a large digital learning community.

  • 2002

    First product is released

    [1]

    The company debuts its first product and begins building its identity as an online-game developer and operator.

  • 1999

    NetDragon is founded

    [1]

    NetDragon Websoft is established in China, beginning the corporate history of the online-game and internet-technology company.

Products and positioning

A Chinese technology group combining online-game development and operation with international education-technology assets and digital learning services.

  • Massively multiplayer online game

    Conquer Online

    Conquer Online is one of NetDragon's established original online-game properties. It belongs to the company's MMORPG portfolio and has been distributed internationally, including in English-language markets. The title illustrates NetDragon's strategy of developing proprietary game intellectual property that can be operated in China and licensed or distributed across overseas regions.

  • Massively multiplayer online game

    Eudemons Online

    Eudemons Online is an original NetDragon online-game property and one of the company's best-known game offerings. It represents the company's focus on persistent online worlds and its practice of taking internally developed intellectual property into international markets, including regions outside China and selected English-language territories.

  • Mobile application distribution

    91 Wireless

    91 Wireless was NetDragon's mobile application-store and distribution business. It carried self-created games and a broad collection of other mobile applications, using 91-branded services to provide a direct channel between users and software. NetDragon sold the business to Baidu in 2013.

  • Education technology

    Promethean

    Promethean was an international education-technology business acquired in full by NetDragon in 2015. Its inclusion in the group broadened NetDragon's activities from online entertainment and consumer software into classroom technology and digital tools used in educational settings.

  • Educational software and games

    JumpStart Games

    JumpStart Games is an American educational-software publisher acquired by NetDragon in 2017. The acquisition added educational content and learning-oriented games to NetDragon's international education portfolio.

  • Online learning platform · 2018

    Edmodo

    Edmodo was an education-focused online platform acquired by NetDragon in 2018. It extended the company's position in digital learning communities and connected NetDragon's education strategy with online tools for students, teachers, and schools.

Controversies

  • 2023

    Edmodo Subsidiary Receives US Permanent Ban for Illegally Collecting Children's Information

    NetDragon's overseas education subsidiary Edmodo was hit with a permanent injunction by the US Department of Justice and FTC for improperly collecting children's personal information from 2017 to 2021, and agreed to a $6 million civil penalty (suspended due to inability to pay); the platform was subsequently shut down. Media questioned whether NetDragon's annual report disclosed the penalty. The independent director's re-election was opposed by 88% of votes.

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Brand decisions

  • 2018

    Acquisition of EdmodoM&A

    Background

    NetDragon's education strategy included building online learning communities in addition to acquiring classroom technology and educational content.

    Action taken

    NetDragon acquired Edmodo on April 8, 2018.

    Aftermath

    Edmodo added an established digital learning-community platform to NetDragon's international education activities.

  • 2017

    Acquisition of JumpStart GamesM&A

    Background

    NetDragon sought additional international educational software and content as part of its education-technology strategy.

    Action taken

    NetDragon announced that it had acquired American educational-software publisher JumpStart Games.

    Aftermath

    The deal expanded NetDragon's portfolio of learning-oriented software and games.

  • 2015

    Acquisition of Promethean WorldM&A

    Background

    NetDragon was expanding its education activities beyond games and online entertainment through international education-technology assets.

    Action taken

    The company acquired a 100 percent stake in UK-listed Promethean World.

    Aftermath

    The acquisition strengthened NetDragon's presence in classroom technology and digital education.

  • 2013

    Divestment of 91 Wireless to BaiduM&A

    Background

    NetDragon had developed 91 Wireless as a direct mobile application-distribution channel carrying games and other software. The business attracted strategic interest as China's mobile-app market expanded.

    Action taken

    NetDragon sold 91 Wireless to Baidu in a transaction reported at US$1.85 billion. NetDragon's attributable proceeds were reported at approximately US$1.06 billion because it controlled less than 58 percent of the business.

    Aftermath

    The transaction removed NetDragon's major mobile app-store operation and helped define the company's subsequent emphasis on online games and education technology.

    Reported transaction value. US$1.85 billion reported transaction value; approximately US$1.06 billion attributed to NetDragon (2013)

Recent events

  • Reported

    NetDragon and Jiuzhou announce AI Harness joint venture[8]

    NetDragon announced that it entered into a legally binding MOU with Jiuzhou Culture to establish a joint venture focused on AI technologies, AIGC-powered content creation and digital technology services. NetDragon will hold a 51% controlling interest; Jiuzhou will contribute the AI Harness system business's related intellectual property, technologies and assets.

  • Reported

    NetDragon and Thailand's education authority sign education cooperation memorandum[9]

    NetDragon and the Office of the Basic Education Commission under Thailand's Ministry of Education signed a memorandum to build English Smart Classroom Laboratories in local schools.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    NetDragon and Autodesk sign strategic cooperation memorandum[10]

    NetDragon and Autodesk China signed a strategic cooperation memorandum. They said they intended to establish an ongoing communication mechanism and jointly promote the application of digital technologies in education.

  • Fujian Unicom and NetDragon launch 5G smart-education demonstration project[11]

    China Unicom Fujian and NetDragon jointly launched a new-infrastructure 5G+smart-education application demonstration project at an event in Fuzhou.

  • Reported

    NetDragon wins New Economy-Technology Company award[12]

    NetDragon won the “New Economy-Technology Company” award at the 8th Top 100 Hong Kong Listed Companies contest.

  • NetDragon and Sony International Education launch Education Cloud Platform[13]

    NetDragon's education subsidiary, NetDragon Websoft Education, and Sony International Education jointly released the Education Cloud Platform at a forum on October 13. The article says rollout in important cities and counties in Japan’s Kanto region would begin during October.

  • Reported

    NetDragon announces fiscal 2019 results[14]

    NetDragon announced its fiscal 2019 financial results, reporting revenue of RMB5,793.1 million and net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB807.2 million.

  • Reported

    NetDragon and RYB Education partnered on online early childhood education[15]

    NetDragon and RYB Education entered into a strategic agreement to explore online early childhood education in China, including developing education platforms and products and exploring an online-to-offline model for English education.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    NetDragon wins Best Value Education Stock award[16]

    NetDragon announced that it won the “Best Value Education Stock” award at the Golden Hong Kong Stocks Awards 2019.

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Sources18 sources

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