NetEase plunges as game launch delayed

Chinese gaming giant NetEase (9999) plunged the most in nine months after delaying the launch of Diablo Immortal in the world's biggest mobile app market, putting its sales recovery in question.

Shares fell almost 11 percent in Hong Kong before ending more than 6 percent lower, leading declines on the Hang Seng Tech Index, which fell as much as 2.5 percent.

Tencent's closest rival in China said Sunday that it will postpone the original June 23 China launch of Diablo Immortal, the mobile game it co-developed with Activision Blizzard.

The surprise postponement comes at a delicate time for China's games industry, which is only just emerging from a months-long freeze on game licenses during a wide-ranging crackdown on tech firms. The official Diablo Immortal account on Weibo was blocked from posting for "violating relevant laws and regulations" last week.