Blizzard Games to Return to China with New Agreement
Blizzard, the renowned game developer, has announced that its games will be
making a comeback to mainland China in the summer of 2024 after being off
the market for a year and a half. This exciting development comes as a result
of a recent agreement between Blizzard and NetEase, a leading Chinese
internet company.
The games from Blizzard were taken offline in China in January 2023 after
the two parties were unable to reach a new publishing deal. However, after
a period of negotiation, both companies have now successfully reached a new
agreement that will bring back all the beloved games Chinese players had
access to previously, including popular titles like Overwatch, Diablo,
and World of Warcraft.
Microsoft and NetEase Collaboration
In a separate partnership, Microsoft, the company that now owns Blizzard, and
NetEase have entered a new agreement to bring NetEase games to Xbox and other
platforms. This collaboration presents a wonderful opportunity to expand
the gaming options for players around the world.
“Returning Blizzard’s legendary games to players in China while exploring ways
to bring more new titles to Xbox demonstrates our commitment to bringing more
games to more players around the world.”
A Turbulent Past and a New Alliance
This new deal between Blizzard and NetEase is the result of efforts to resolve
a previous falling out between the two companies. In November 2022, tensions
rose as their original publishing contract was set to expire, leading to
disagreements and failed negotiations. However, through determination and
determination to serve their Chinese players, Blizzard and NetEase have made
amends and found common ground to bring back Blizzard’s games to the Chinese
market.
More details regarding the relaunch of the games are yet to be revealed.
However, the clarity and commitment shown by these industry giants ensure
that players can expect a thrilling comeback of their favorite games soon.
Every Activision Blizzard Game in Development
About the Writer:
George Yang is an experienced freelance writer who has been covering the
gaming industry since 2019. His expertise and passion have earned him the
opportunity to write for prestigious publications such as IGN, Insider,
Kotaku, NPR, and Variety. With a deep understanding of the gaming world,
George not only writes about video games but is an avid player as well.
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