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Blizzard Entertainment Resumes NetEase Partnership Under Microsoft Ownership: Reviving Iconic US-China Video Game Collaboration
Blizzard Entertainment resumes its partnership with NetEase under Microsoft's ownership. Games such as World of Warcraft and Hearthstone are expected to return to mainland China this summer. The renewed partnership deepens cooperation between Microsoft and NetEase, with plans to bring new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles.
In a surprising turn of events, Blizzard Entertainment, the renowned video game giant behind World of Warcraft, has announced the resumption of its partnership with NetEase under its new owner, Microsoft. This marks the revival of one of the most enduring US-China video game collaborations, which had experienced a bitter break-up over a year ago.
Confirming an earlier report by the South China Morning Post, the two companies have renewed their publishing agreement, which will cover games under the previous arrangement. This includes popular titles such as World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and other games in the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft universes. According to a joint statement released on Wednesday, these games are expected to make a comeback in mainland China this summer.
"After continuing discussions over the past year, both Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase are thrilled to align on a path forward to once again support players in mainland China and are proud to reaffirm their commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences," stated the joint statement.
The acrimonious split between the two companies occurred last January when services for all Blizzard titles, except for Diablo Immortal, were suspended in mainland China. The 14-year partnership came to an end as both sides failed to agree on new terms to extend the deal. Blame was placed on each other for mistreating Chinese players.
This recent announcement comes five months after US tech giant Microsoft finalised its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment, in a deal worth $68.7 billion. The renewed partnership also signifies a deeper collaboration between Microsoft and NetEase, with plans to bring new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles and other platforms.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "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."
The news of Blizzard's return has sparked excitement among Chinese players on social media. Immediately after the announcement, it became the top trending topic on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo, garnering over 100 million views within two hours.
"I've been wandering in foreign servers for over a year, and finally, I can come back home," commented one Weibo user, reflecting the sentiment of many eager players.
However, there is still work to be done before the games become available to Chinese players. NetEase is actively hiring positions, including game operations planners, engineers, and project managers for World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and Overwatch under its gaming studio Leihuo, as indicated by recent job postings.
Following the previous partnership's dissolution in January, NetEase disbanded the local team responsible for operating Blizzard titles in Shanghai, according to earlier reports by the Post.
Blizzard Entertainment resumes its partnership with NetEase under Microsoft's ownership.
Games such as World of Warcraft and Hearthstone are expected to return to mainland China this summer.
The renewed partnership deepens cooperation between Microsoft and NetEase, with plans to bring new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles.
Source: SCMP