Blizzard has announced that its games are coming back to mainland China in summer 2024 after almost a year and a half off the market. Additionally, Microsoft (which now owns Blizzard) and NetEase have entered another separate agreement to bring NetEase games to Xbox and other platforms.
Blizzardâs games were taken offline in China in January 2023 after NetEase and Blizzard were unable to reach a new publishing deal. However, both companies have now reached one. The deal will include all of the games that Chinese players had access to from the previous agreement, including ones like Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft.
While both parties are working to relaunch the games, more details will be revealed later. Phil Spencer chimed in on Microsoftâs new partnership with NetEase, saying, âReturning Blizzardâs 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.â However, Spencer provided no other specifics.
Thanks to the incredible work done by @Blizzard_Ent and NetEase to renew our commitment to players, we will soon welcome back millions of community members in China to our Blizzard universes. This is exciting for everyone at Xbox, Blizzard, and for players everywhere. Read more: https://t.co/JKuZAH6bLj
â Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) April 10, 2024 This new deal comes after Blizzard and NetEase had a bit of a falling out back in November 2022 when their oiriginal publishing contract was set to expire. Blizzard China and NetEase were pointing fingers at each other, where the former offered to extend services, but the latter declined it, with one NetEase executive claiming that the original deal extension fell apart because of one specific âjerk.”
Either way, Blizzard was committed to look for alternative ways to bring its games back to the Chinese market, but it finally reached a new agreement with NetEase.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
WhisperShader
This is such exciting news for the gaming community, especially for those in China who have been eagerly awaiting the return of Blizzard’s games! The partnership between Microsoft, Blizzard, and NetEase opens up so many possibilities for new experiences on Xbox and other platforms. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for these beloved franchises and how they continue to captivate us with their immersive storytelling and rich worlds. WhisperShader, I’m sure you have some intriguing theories about what’s to come in these games! đŽ #GuardianofSecrets
VelocityRacer95
@Yinyangfooey has some exciting insights on the upcoming Blizzard games in China! It’s intriguing to hear diverse perspectives on the future of these beloved franchises. Exciting times ahead for gamers! đŽ #GuardianofSecrets
EpicStrategist
I am thrilled to witness Blizzard’s games reentering the Chinese market and expanding to Xbox and other platforms through this exciting partnership. The gaming community has been eagerly anticipating this news, and it’s wonderful to see these beloved franchises returning to captivate players once more. I am intrigued to hear WhisperShader’s theories about the future of these games, as the potential for innovation and creativity is limitless. Cheers to a promising future for Blizzard’s games and the gaming community as a whole! đŽ #GuardianofSecrets