<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-12-012763.txt : 20120117
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-12-012763.hdr.sgml : 20120116
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120117061333
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-12-012763
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	6-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20120117
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120117
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20120117

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			The9 LTD
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001296774
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-BUSINESS SERVICES, NEC [7389]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			E9
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		6-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-34238
		FILM NUMBER:		12528027

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BUILDING NO.3, 690 BIBO ROAD
		STREET 2:		ZHANG JIANG HI-TECH PARK
		CITY:			PUDONG NEW AREA, SHANGHAI
		STATE:			F4
		ZIP:			201203
		BUSINESS PHONE:		(86) 21 - 5172 9999

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2ND FLOOR, ZEPHYR HOUSE, MARY STREET
		STREET 2:		P.O. BOX 709, GEORGE TOWN
		CITY:			GRAND CAYMAN
		STATE:			E9
		ZIP:			-
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>6-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d283851d6k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 6-K
<TEXT>
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>Form 6-K</TITLE>
</HEAD>
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 <P STYLE="line-height:0px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>UNITED STATES </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>FORM 6-K
</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>For the month of January 2012 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Commission File Number: 001-34238 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="6"><B>THE9 LIMITED
</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Building No.&nbsp;3, 690 Bibo Road </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, Pudong New Area </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Shanghai 201203, People&#146;s
Republic of China </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Address of principal executive offices) </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Form 20-F&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#120;</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Form
40-F&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT> </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT> </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Indicate by check mark if
the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT> </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:8px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:0px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">SIGNATURE </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><DIV ALIGN="right">
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="40%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="12%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="87%"></TD></TR>


<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">THE9 LIMITED</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">By:</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px;border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">/s/ Jun Zhu</FONT></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Name:</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Jun Zhu</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Title:</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Chairman and Chief Executive Officer</FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE></DIV> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Date: January&nbsp;17, 2012 </FONT></P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Exhibit Index </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="88%"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>Exhibit</B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:25pt" ALIGN="center"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>No.</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP> <P STYLE="border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:39pt"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>Description</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>


<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Exhibit&nbsp;99.1</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Press Release</FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="right"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Exhibit 99.1 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>The9 Limited Signed up Nicolas Anelka and Shenhua Liansheng Football Club for Endorsing and Promoting Firefall </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Shanghai, January&nbsp;15, 2012 &#150; The9 Limited (NASDAQ: NCTY) (&#147;The9&#148;), an online game developer and operator in China, announced today that it has entered into an endorsement agreement
with Nicolas Anelka (&#147;Anelka&#148;), a top soccer player in the world, for worldwide endorsement and promotion of Firefall, a highly-anticipated team-based shooter game developed by Red 5 Studios, Inc., one of The9&#146;s subsidiaries.
</FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Under the agreement, Anelka will participate in various promotion and endorsement initiatives for promoting Firefall. Anelka has also granted
The9 some certain other rights relating to the promotion activities, including the use of Anelka&#146;s name, voice and likeness. The worldwide endorsement agreement is for a term of one year. In consideration for the endorsement services provided
by Anelka, The9 agrees to pay Anelka a sum of EUR2.7 million. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The9 has also entered into a cooperative promotion agreement with Shanghai
Shenhua Liansheng Football Club Co., Ltd. (&#147;Shenhua&#148;) for endorsing and promoting Firefall for a term of two years. Shenhua is a long-established leading soccer team in the Chinese Super League, the highest tier of professional soccer
association in China. Under the agreement, Shenhua players will wear jerseys bearing the name and logo of Firefall in all domestic and international soccer games and also make appearances at press conferences and product promotion and sales
initiatives for Firefall and participate in other activities for promoting Firefall. Shenhua will also reserve advertisement space for Firefall at its host auditorium. The9 will pay Shenhua RMB32 million for the promotion services. </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Shenhua has signed up Anelka as its player. Because Mr.&nbsp;Zhu Jun, the Chairman and CEO of The9 and a major shareholder of The9, is also a major
shareholder of Shenhua, the endorsement and promotion transactions with Anelka and Shenhua would constitute related party transactions. The audit committee of The9 engaged a leading international independent valuation firm to advise it in connection
with these transactions. Based on the analysis by the valuation firm, which studied, among other things, the relevant market data for similar transactions, and taking into account the commercial value these endorsement and promotion activities will
bring to The9, the audit committees of The9 on behalf of its board of directors approved the endorsement and promotion transactions with Anelka and Shenhua. In light of Mr.&nbsp;Zhu&#146;s positions as the Chairman and CEO of The9, Mr.&nbsp;Zhu
recused himself from any discussion among the board of directors regarding this matter. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Chris Shen, The9&#146;s VP of Marketing, commented,
&#147;A big portion of Firefall gamers are also soccer fans, most of whom are male, passionate about sports, and actively followers of entertainment stories of sport stars. We are going to implement the cross-marketing campaigns throughout the year
that leverage the popularity of Anelka and Shenhua to enhance the brand awareness of Firefall among the target audiences in both China and the global market. We have successfully promoted our online games via cross-marketing campaigns in the past
years and we believe this would be a very innovative and effective way to enhance the Firefall brand and attract more gamers.&#148; </FONT></P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>About The9 Limited </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The9 Limited is an online game operator and developer in China. The9 operates, directly or through its affiliates, licensed massively multiplayer online role playing games, or MMORPGs, including Soul of
The Ultimate Nation&#153;, Atlantica and Kingdom Heroes 2 Online, as well as its proprietary MMORPGs and web and social games including World of Fighter, Winning Goal and Q Jiang San Guo, in mainland China. It has also obtained exclusive licenses to
operate other games in mainland China, including Seoyugi, Rosh, Free Realms and Planetside 2. In addition, The9 is developing various proprietary games, including Shen Xian Zhuan, FireFall, Era Zero and other MMORPGs and web and social games. In
2010, The9 established its Mobile Internet Unit to focus on mobile internet business. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Safe Harbor Statement </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the &#147;safe harbor&#148; provisions of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as &#147;will,&#148; &#147;expects,&#148; &#147;anticipates,&#148; &#147;future,&#148; &#147;intends,&#148; &#147;plans,&#148;
&#147;believes,&#148; &#147;estimates&#148; and similar statements. The9 may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms 20-F and 6-K, etc., in its annual
report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about The9&#146;s beliefs and
expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, political and economic policies of the Chinese government, the laws and regulations governing the online game industry, information disseminated over the Internet and Internet
content providers in China, intensified government regulation of Internet cafes, The9&#146;s ability to retain existing players and attract new players, license, develop or acquire additional online games that are appealing to users, anticipate and
adapt to changing consumer preferences and respond to competitive market conditions, and other risks and uncertainties outlined in The9&#146;s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 20-F. The9
does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>For further
information, please contact: </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Ms.&nbsp;Phyllis Sai </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">IR Manager, Investor Relations </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The9 Limited </FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Tel: +86 (21)&nbsp;5172-9990 </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Email:
<U>IR@corp.the9.com</U> </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Website: <U>http://www.corp.the9.com/</U> </FONT></P>
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