Since 2008, Blizzard's games have been published in mainland China via licensing agreements with NetEase. Those licensing agreements are set to end on January 23, 2023, and won't be renewed,
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Since 2008, Blizzard’s games have been published in mainland China via licensing agreements with NetEase. Those licensing agreements are set to end on January 23, 2023, and won’t be renewed, Blizzard has announced (opens in new tab). Game services including those for World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, and Diablo 3 will be ending in China on the same date.
« The two parties have not reached a deal to renew the agreements that is consistent with Blizzard’s operating principles and commitments to players and employees, » Blizzard’s statement says.
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Reuters (opens in new tab) quotes a statement from NetEase explaining that, despite lengthy negotiations, the two companies were unable to reach an agreement on key terms of cooperation, and said, « We will have to accept this decision. »
New sales of Blizzard games in China will be suspended « in the coming days », and Blizzard says that « Chinese players will be receiving details of how this will work soon. » The scheduled releases of World of Warcraft’s Dragonflight expansion, Hearthstone’s March of the Lich King set, and Overwatch 2 season 2 will still be going ahead as planned, however.
