Microsoft has agreed with NetEase to return Blizzard games to the Chinese market in the summer of 2024, a year and a half after the closure of all games from the famous developer. We are talking about World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch 2 and other games from the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and StarCraft universes. Separately, agreements were concluded on the possibility of launching new NetEase games on the Xbox console and other platforms.
Let us remind you that Blizzard game servers were closed in January 2023. The reason was not officially stated, but there were many hints that this was related to the activities of Bobi Kotick, who at that time was the CEO of Activision Blizzard. In December 2023, rumors appeared that Microsoft, after acquiring Activision Blizzard, was in negotiations to return games to China.
“As we celebrate our partnership, we are excited to begin the next chapter built on trust and mutual respect to serve our users in this unique community we have created together. Our commitment to providing more immersive and creative entertainment remains unwavering, and we are excited to see positive interactions that promote collaboration and bring the joy of gaming to a wide range of people,” William Ding, CEO and Founder of NetEase.
“We at Blizzard are thrilled to renew our partnership with NetEase and are deeply grateful for how our teams have worked together to deliver an iconic gaming experience to players in China. We are incredibly grateful to the Chinese community for the passion they have shown for Blizzard games over the years, and we are committed to bringing our universes back to players through skill and dedication,” Johanna Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment.
“Blizzard and NetEase have done a great job renewing our commitment to players. Blizzard Universes have been part of the lives of players in this region for many years. Bringing iconic Blizzard games back to players in China, as well as exploring ways to bring new games to Xbox, demonstrates our commitment to bringing more games to more players around the world,” Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming.
