SHANGHAI  – Chinese Internet portal NetEase has said it will reapply for a license to operate "World of Warcraft", one of the most popular online role-playing games with millions of users in China alone.

China's General Administration of Press and Publication said in November it had rejected NetEase's application seeking approval for the game, which is developed by California-based company Activision Blizzard Entertainment.

It said at the time NetEase had violated a rule banning new account registration and collection of subscription fees during a trial period starting July 30, when the firm was ordered to "revise harmful content" in the game.

NetEase said it would "soon" reapply to the authorities for a license to operate the game's latest expansion pack, according to a statement posted on the game's official Chinese website.

It will also stop accepting new user registration until February 14 and offer only three hours of free play time each day for existing online gamers during the period.

The administration said in a separate statement on Monday that it would accept the license application, to be submitted by NetEase's subsidiary Shanghai EaseNet Network Technology Ltd.

NetEase announced in April last year that it had won a three-year license for the game from Blizzard after the license of another Chinese firm, The9, expired.

It started operating the game in the country in September after gaining the approval from the culture ministry.

"World of Warcraft" is the most popular multiplayer online role-playing game on the planet with more than 11 million monthly subscribers. Previous media reports put the number of players in China at up to five million.