User:Fleetham/sandbox

Giant Interactive Group Inc operates and develops online games, primarily its blockbuster MMO ZT Online 2, in China. As of 2008, the company has a strong presence in 2nd and 3rd tier Chinese cities, large and medium-sized cities that aren't one of the top four in terms of population and contribution to GDP. In 2008, Giant Interactive had the third-largest share of the Chinese online games market with 11.9%, and a BNP Paribas media unit called the company "the industry leader of online games in China." It was founded in 2001 as Shanghai Zhengtu Network Technology Co Ltd.

Listed on the NYSE in 2007, in late 2013 the company was planning to be taken private (and subsequently delisted from the exchange). As of April 2014, this go-private plan had yet to be completed amid a lawsuit filed by shareholders to prevent the sale. By July 2014, the company had gone private in a $3 billion merger with Giant Merger Ltd.

Some of its games, such as ZT Online, derive revenue from the sale of virtual goods. In 2013, peak concurrent users for ZT Online 2 reached 540,000.

The company may be a partner of site 51.com offering casual games. Giant Interactive also makes mobile games some in partnership with Ntreev Soft.

It has an architecturally daring corporate headquarters on the outskirts of Shanghai designed by Morphosis.