Blizzard games to return to Chinese market under new deal with NetEase
Ding Lei (left), CEO and director of NetEase, appears with Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, and Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming.
Blizzard Entertainment, now owned by Microsoft, announced a new deal with NetEase on Wednesday to bring its games back to the Chinese market, covering titles including the World of WarCraft, Diablo and StarCraft series.
Separately, Microsoft and NetEase also entered into an agreement to bring new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles worldwide.
The games will return to the domestic market from this summer after "continuing discussions over the past year." The renewed publishing agreement will cover games including World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and StarCraft universes, according to a Blizzard statement.
Since January 2023, Blizzard suspended most of its game services on the Chinese mainland, citing the expiration of its licensing agreements with NetEase after a 14-year partnership.
The move jolted fans and live streamers of the popular digital games, which had several million fans in China.
"We embark on the next chapter, built on trust and mutual respect, to serve our users in this unique community that we've built together," said Ding Lei, chief executive and director of NetEase.
Blizzard Entertainment is a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft.
A poster celebrates the return of popular titles.
