NetEase Is Not Suing Blizzard. So Who Filed That Lawsuit?

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Netease Is Not Suing Blizzard. So Who Filed That Lawsuit?

Blizzard’s former partner, NetEase, is not suing the US firm for $43.5 million in refunds. This brings us to the question of who filed the lawsuit. And why are Chinese media outlets so enthusiastic about a story that appears to be false?

Let’s First Start with the Real Appellant

After the news broke, Activision Blizzard firmly denied receiving any complaint related to the matter. They also reiterated their confidence in not having violated any licensing agreements. Their claim only added more confusion to the ongoing situation. Thankfully WowHead decided to dig deeper into the root of the matter and managed to clear up some important information. 

Apparently, the fatal misunderstanding started with a clerical error in the court documents. Tianyancha’s records on the photo below showed NetEase and Yang Jun as the plaintiffs against Blizzard Entertainment and The9. This definitely raised some eyebrows since NetEase had acquired The9 14 years ago

Tianyancha (天眼查) is a large data technology service company. It collects the public information of more than 2,000 websites. Thus, allowing users to look up public records — including court information.

Netease Is Not Suing Blizzard. So Who Filed That Lawsuit?
(Source: WowHead)

The document below is from Qichacha. It listed Yang Jun and NetEase as the plaintiffs against The9 and Blizzard Entertainment.

It was later revealed that Jun had no association with the Chinese company and had even sued them in the past. 

Qichacha (企查查) is an enterprise business information query platform and Tianyancha’s direct competitor.

Netease Is Not Suing Blizzard. So Who Filed That Lawsuit?
(Source: WowHead)

To clear up the matter, Tianyancha updated the filing to correctly name Jang Yun as the appellant against Blizzard and The9. NetEase’s name is removed and no longer seen on said filing.

Netease Is Not Suing Blizzard. So Who Filed That Lawsuit?
(Source: WowHead)

Who Is Yang Jun?

Yang Jun has a history of taking legal action against gaming companies. Back in 2019, he filed a lawsuit against NetEase and The9 for World of Warcraft game time, seeking a refund of ¥2,000, approximately $288.90. Although the case was dismissed, Jun has persisted in his efforts to challenge these companies. The recent lawsuit, which gained significant attention due to the fallout of NetEase and Blizzard, appears to be the latest chapter in his ongoing battle. 

So… There’s No More Beef Between NetEase And Blizzard?

As of now, yes. After demolishing Blizzard’s office back in January, the two seem to have completely and utterly severed all ties. Nothing is going on between the giants. And the supposed lawsuit is actually a mistake in the court documents. It remains unclear whether it was due to a clerical error or a deliberate attempt by Jun to include NetEase as an appellant in his case.

Nevertheless, Blizzard Entertainment has emphasized that there is no lawsuit from their former partner against them. While the situation may have caused some confusion, it’s clear that the initial reports were inaccurate. Thus, players may rest assured that their favorite games and services are safe and unaffected by any legal issues. At least for the time being.

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