According to TechSpot , there's good news for Blizzard fans in China, as negotiations for a merger between the game company and NetEase have been revealed.
Previously, when their partnership agreement with NetEase expired in January 2023, popular titles like World of Warcraft , Diablo IV , and Overwatch 2 successively left the Chinese market. Recently, there have been reports that Blizzard has reached a new agreement with NetEase, paving the way for the return of these legendary titles to the massive Chinese gaming market.
World of Warcraft is highly likely to return to China soon.
The storm began in November 2022, when Blizzard announced it could not renew its contract with NetEase, a partner that had been with them in game publishing in China since 2008. The reason given was that the two sides could not find common ground 'on operating principles and commitments to players and employees'.
Efforts to extend Blizzard's contract in China by another six months, aimed at finding a new partner, were also unsuccessful. China's stringent regulations on the gaming industry require foreign games to be released through local distributors to ensure compliance with strict licensing rules.
The relationship between the two giants became strained after negotiations broke down. NetEase filed a lawsuit against Blizzard over the refund of affected players. Blizzard responded with allegations of intellectual property infringement and unfair competition related to NetEase's game Justice , which was allegedly a copy of World of Warcraft .
However, the relationship between the two is showing signs of revival after Microsoft successfully acquired Activision Blizzard. According to Chinese tech news site 36Kr, although Blizzard continued to search for other publishers, they eventually succeeded in renewing their contract with NetEase.
News of Blizzard and NetEase's reunion has generated immense excitement among the Chinese gaming community. This event promises to bring top-tier experiences and new blockbuster titles to the Chinese gaming market.
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