Activision and Tencent ink multiyear agreement to bring free-to-play shooter based on Modern Warfare series to Asian country after two years of development.

Activision and Chinese Internet service provider Tencent today announced Call of Duty: Online, a new PC free-to-play first-person shooter set for release in mainland China. According to Activision, the game will be based on Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare universe, and has been in development for almost two years.

Call of Duty is going to war in China.

As part of the multiyear agreement, Tencent will have the exclusive license to operate Call of Duty: Online in China. The free-to-play game will be monetized through the sale of in-game items like weapons, gear, and perks "built specifically for the Chinese market."

As for the game itself, Call of Duty: Online features an original story told through a string of special operations missions based on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The game's first trailer is available below.

Tencent, which recently acquired a minority stake in Gears of War studio Epic Games, believes Call of Duty: Online has the potential to attract "tens of millions" of gamers, according to president Martin Lau.

Activision first spoke of a free-to-play, microtransaction-based Call of Duty game for China in May 2011 during a financial call.

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