According to TechSpot , there is good news for the gaming community that loves Blizzard's games in China, when the game company's reunion negotiations with NetEase have been revealed.
Previously, when the cooperation agreement with NetEase expired in January 2023, famous games such as World of Warcraft , Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 left the Chinese market one after another. Recently, there was information that Blizzard had reached a new agreement with NetEase, paving the way for the return of legendary names in the billion-people gaming market.
World of Warcraft is likely to return to China soon
The storm began in November 2022, when Blizzard announced that it could not renew its contract with NetEase, a partner that had been with them in releasing games in China since 2008. The reason was said to be because the two sides could not find a common voice 'on operating principles and commitments to players and employees'.
Efforts to extend the contract by six months to find a new partner for Blizzard in China have also been unsuccessful. China’s strict gaming regulations require foreign games to be released through local distributors to ensure compliance with strict licensing regulations.
The relationship between the two giants became tense after negotiations broke down. NetEase sued Blizzard for refunding money to affected players. Blizzard responded with accusations of intellectual property infringement and unfair competition related to NetEase's game Justice , which is said to be a copy of World of Warcraft .
However, the relationship between the two is showing signs of revival after Microsoft successfully acquired Activision Blizzard. Chinese technology news site 36Kr reported that although Blizzard continued to look for other publishers, it was finally successful in renewing its contract with NetEase.
The news of Blizzard and NetEase's reunion has made the Chinese gaming community extremely excited. This event promises to bring top-notch experiences and new blockbuster games to the Chinese gaming market.
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