Official: NetEase and Blizzard Renewed Partnership in 2024
It’s official, folks! NetEase and Blizzard renewed partnership. Blizzard’s games are returning to China.
So the rumors proved true! Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase have officially announced the renewal of their partnership. Beloved titles are soon to be reintroduced to mainland China.
“Celebrating our collaborations, we are thrilled to embark on the next chapter, built on trust and mutual respect, to serve our users in this unique community that we’ve built together. Our commitment to providing more exhilarating and creative entertainment experience remains unwavering, and we are excited to see positive synergies fostered to encourage and empower collaborations to bring the joy of gaming to a broad community.”
— William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director, NetEase
Come summer 2024, gamers can expect to dive back into the immersive worlds of the Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft franchises. The partnership extends beyond the revival of existing titles. Microsoft Gaming and NetEase have united to explore avenues for introducing new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles and other platforms.
NetEase and Blizzard Renewed Partnership After 2023 Fallout
Blizzard and NetEase’s rekindled partnership marks the return of a major player in the gaming industry to one of the world’s most profitable video gaming markets. Since 2009, Blizzard has teamed up with NetEase to introduce its popular titles to Chinese gamers. However, this longstanding collaboration took a dramatic turn in January 2023.
The two companies scandalously ended their partnership as NetEase refused a proposed six-month extension, alleging unfair terms. Later on, the Chinese company even live-streamed their vandalism at Blizzard’s office. At that point, it appeared unlikely for the gaming giants to ever reconcile. Yet, after countless rumors, here we are witnessing their reunion.
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