Activision to export 'Call of Duty' game to China Game players in New York try out the latest "Call of Duty" in a store. Stephen Yang / Bloomberg / January 7, 2012 By Alex Pham July 3, 2012, 3:35 p.m. Activision is taking the war to China. The Santa Monica company Tuesday said it plans to debut a free online version of its popular "Call of Duty" shooter game in China this year. The game, which is being developed in Shanghai, will be tailored to how people play games in China, namely online and largely in Internet cafes. Players in the U.S. and Europe, on the other hand, prefer to buy their games from a store and take them home to play on computers or consoles. Although players in China will not have to pay for the game, they would have the choice to buy enhancements, more powerful weapons or special gear for their virtual soldiers. With software piracy rampant in China, game publishers have avoided selling packaged discs, instead opting to sell virtual goods within the framework of a "free" game. Activision tapped Chinese Internet powerhouse Tencent Holdings to run its online title, as well as manage the purchase transactions. Tencent, based in Shenzhen, has made a number of investments in the U.S. In June, the company paid an undisclosed amount to buy 40% to 49% of "Gears of War" creator Epic Games in North Carolina. Tencent also spent $400 million last year to buy a majority stake in Riot Games, an online game company in Santa Monica. Terms of Activision's deal with Tencent to operate "Call of Duty" in China were not disclosed. Activision settles 'Call of Duty' lawsuit 'League of Legends' tries to conquer the world 'Gears of War' creator sells minority stake to Tencent