On the evening of September 10, NetEase issued a statement saying it had observed recent media and social media reports about "NetEase's former COO's new venture" and related dispute rumors. After investigation, the company confirmed that this individual officially left NetEase in 2011, and all subsequent experiences including employment at other companies and entrepreneurial ventures have no connection to NetEase. Any controversies and disputes involving this individual do not represent NetEase's position.

The statement is reportedly referring to Zhan Zhonghui's entrepreneurial project. According to public information, Zhan Zhonghui joined NetEase in 1999, starting as a programmer and subsequently serving as Director of Online Gaming Division, NetEase Joint COO, and NetEase COO before leaving in 2011 to establish Jianyue. In 2017, Jianyue was acquired by Alibaba. In 2019, he founded Lingxi Interactive Entertainment, where he served as head of gaming business for an extended period. In March 2024, Zhan Zhonghui issued an internal email announcing his upcoming departure. One year later, he posted on social media indicating his intention to focus on content-driven single-player premium games.

On September 4, social media users discovered that Zhan Zhonghui was recruiting talent for his new single-player game project.