Summary
Blizzardand NetEase are allegedly planning on announcing the restoration of their partnership within the next few weeks. If the rumors are true,Blizzardmay be able to restore access to its games in China via NetEase this year, possibly as early as April.
Due to its media policies, games made outside of China must be run through local technology companies like NetEase, which is responsible for localizing dozens of franchises on behalf of its partners.Blizzard was among NetEase’s many clients until their partnership was dissolvedin January 2023, barring access toWorld of Warcraft,Hearthstone,Overwatch 2, and the rest of its games in China.
However, according to recent rumors, the two companies may be making amends soon. Chinese news siteCore Esports reported on the development, stating Blizzard and NetEase are planning to announce their deal near the end of March or early April. According to the report, Blizzard games will be operated in China by the main NetEase cooperative products division – the same group that operatesDiablo Immortal– rather than a specialized team as there was during their previous partnership.
Blizzard and NetEase Are Allegedly Burying the Hatchet
Core Esports claimed former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick was a major factor in preventing the two companies from working together. Shortly after Kotick left the company in January 2024, all the active lawsuits between the parties were dropped, allegedly allowing them to begin negotiations again. Additionally,Microsoft’s acquisition of Blizzardhas helped rebuild this bridge as well, considering NetEase already works with the technology giant to produce games likeMinecraftin China.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the only recentrumor regarding Blizzard games in China. Nico_oq, a trusted source of Blizzard news in Asia, recently reported that an unnamed company in Korea was preparing to host the company’s games in China via a leasing agreement. It is unclear if these rumors ended up being false, the leasing deal fell through, or if it was another factor that played into the rumored restoration of the Blizzard and NetEase agreement.
Regardless, it is important to note that these rumors have not been confirmed yet. The reports are from trusted sources, but nothing is set in stone until Blizzard or NetEase gives official confirmation on the deal’s existence. That said, if it is real, Chinese gamers could possibly be playing Blizzard games again as early as April. A full restoration of all services could take a few months, but it would reportedly hope to do so no later thanthe release ofWorld of Warcraft: The War Within. Either way, fans will hopefully not have to wait long to hear something official on the subject.
