NIP Group partners with The9 to develop esports scene for ‘MIR M’

Esports holding company NIP Group has partnered with The9’s subsidiary China Crown to develop video Game ‘MIR M’ into a competitive esports title.

As a result of the partnership, NIP Group will collaborate with The9 to build a commercialised tournament ecosystem centred around ‘MIR M’, alongside expanding the market presence for the yet-to-be released title.

‘MIR M’ is a new version of the classic MMORPG title “MIR”, which was developed after China Crown secured the exclusive publishing license of the game from Wemade in May 2024. China Crown’s parent company, The9, is known for publishing multiple well-known titles in China, including the likes of World of Warcraft and MU Online.

According to a release, NIP Group intends to leverage its esports experience, event production capabilities and social media resources on a global scale in combination with the established player base of the upcoming title by The9. In addition, both companies will build a highly commercialised tournament ecosystem centred around the game and promote it with a joint marketing effort.

In 2023, NIP Group, was created through a merger between Ninjas in Pyjamas and Chinese esports brand ESV5 and the company recently went public, announcing its IPO on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. In September 2024, NIP Group also launched a game publishing division that focused on esports-oriented titles, alongside developing mini-games for social media platforms, mobile games and PC Games.

Mario Ho, Chairman and Co-CEO of NIP Group commented on the partnership, stating: “We are thrilled to partner with The9. The9 has been committed to providing users with the forefront of gaming experiences and technical support.

“Combining the global esports expertise and fan engagement capabilities of NIP Group, we’re well-positioned to transform MIR M into a compelling esports title. Our shared vision is to create an engaging esports experience that honour’s the game’s legacy while opening new possibilities for competitive play.”