In 2022, gaming studio Blizzard ended their partnership with Chinese internet provider and gaming giant NetEase after failing to reach an agreement 14 years of partnership and effectively removed the former’s popular games from the Chinese market.It was a big blow for both parties, whose partnership had helped them bring in projects such as World of WarcraftStarcraft 2and more recently, Overwatch 2, to vast areas of the world.Negotiations are reportedly ongoing Failed due to communication confusion NetEase once made a “conciliatory gesture” on the issue of Microsoft’s upcoming acquisition of Activision Blizzard in order to influence Chinese regulators. Representatives from Activision Blizzard mistook the offer as a threat, and negotiations reached an impasse and eventually collapsed.
Sales were suspended soon thereafter, and by early 2023, most of Blizzard’s games had been removed from Chinese stores, except for ” diablo immortal There is a separate contract.
Fast forward to 2024, and some drastic changes have taken place since, and it looks like Blizzard’s games will be returning to China through a new deal with NetEase.At least that’s what local reports think after Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Farris was spotted with NetEase CEO Ding Lei on social media.analyst CN line The source claimed that the meeting was a sign of renegotiation between the two parties, and claimed that NetEase would announce the return of Blizzard games as soon as Wednesday. Affected by this news, NetEase’s stock price rose several points.
Local reports confirmed news of the deal, seemingly cementing an impending comeback.this South China Morning Post report The news is indeed set to come out on Wednesday, but one of the sources told the newspaper that “it will probably be at least a month before Blizzard games finally return.” also, South China Morning PostSources say Activision Blizzard’s New owner Microsoft It was reported that it played a “proactive role” in the negotiations late last year.
The deal comes at a perfect time for Activision Blizzard, whose gaming image has been suffering of late. Overwatch 2 Especially one that never really got over the turmoil of its launch. Many teams under Acti-Blizz are also in trouble. Shocked by layoffs Earlier this year, leading to match canceled and Reportedly on hold Overwatch 2 story mission.
Acti-Blizz’s trump card against all these odds was released last year Diablo 4, which set multiple records for the franchise and company. Due to the cancellation of Acti-Blizz’s previous deal with NetEase, Diablo 4 Never launched in China, I believe now that a deal has been made this will be a priority. After achieving great success, a struggling publisher may find another hit. diablo Reviving one of the most productive relationships in one of the world’s most populous regions over the last year certainly fits the bill.
Correction: April 9, 2024, 5:25 pm (ET): This article has been updated to correct Johanna Faries’ job title. She is the president of Blizzard Entertainment.