A still from one of the films in Lord of the Rings film series. (PHOTO / MTIME.COM VIA CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

HONG KONG - Chinese gaming giant NetEase on Monday announced a strategic partnership with Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment to develop a new Lord of the Rings mobile game, bolstering its pipeline following its secondary listing in Hong Kong.

The new officially licensed strategy game, The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War, is based on the hugely popular trilogy of books by J.R.R. Tolkien, NetEase said in a statement.

The new officially licensed strategy game, The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War, is based on the hugely popular trilogy of books by J.R.R. Tolkien, NetEase said in a statement

NetEase, along with rival Tencent and other gaming firms, have seen games revenue soaring during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people spend more time on their handsets and computers in lockdowns aimed at slowing the spread of the disease.

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The release is the latest effort by Chinese game developers to expand beyond their domestic market and follows separate tie-ups by NetEase last year with Marvel and Pokemon Company.

Both Tencent and NetEase have vowed to derive more proceeds from overseas markets. Last year, a NetEase executive told Reuters the company hopes overseas revenue will account for 30 percent of its total in three years.

Nasdaq-listed NetEase raised at least US$2.7 billion in a Hong Kong secondary offering last week, saying it would use the money to fund its international expansion plans.

READ MORE: Game firms expand global reach