Blizzard, Microsoft, & NetEase Sign New Deal

After leaving China back in January of 2023, Blizzard & Netease have signed a massive new deal.

In a new blog post on their website, Blizzard announced the deal. It is titled “BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT AND NETEASE RENEW AGREEMENT TO BRING BELOVED TITLES BACK TO CHINA; MICROSOFT GAMING, NETEASE ENTER BROADER COLLABORATION”

The main focus of the deal is to bring Blizzard games back to the Chinese market starting this Summer. NetEase and Microsoft Gaming have also signed an agreement to bring NetEase titles to Xbox consoles and “other platforms”.

Here is the blogpost in its entirety, which you can find here as well:

Blizzard titles to return to mainland China beginning summer 2024

Microsoft Gaming and NetEase deepen their relationship, with a strategic partnership based on their shared desire to bring new gaming experiences to players across platforms and markets

IRVINE, Calif., REDMOND, Wash., AND HANGZHOU, Zhejiang [April 9 PT, April 10 CT] / — Beloved video game titles from Blizzard Entertainment that captivated millions of players in China will return to the market sequentially, beginning this summer, under a renewed publishing deal Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Gaming, and NetEase (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999) announced today.

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. 

The renewed publishing agreement will encompass games Chinese players had access to under the previous agreement: World of Warcraft^®, Hearthstone^®, and other titles in the Warcraft^®, Overwatch^®, Diablo^®, and StarCraft^® universes. Building upon more than 15 years of past collaboration, Blizzard and NetEase are working diligently on relaunch plans, with further details to be shared at a later date.

Separately, Microsoft Gaming and NetEase have also entered into an agreement to explore bringing new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles and other platforms. 

“We at Blizzard are thrilled to reestablish our partnership with NetEase and to work together, with deep appreciation for the collaboration between our teams, to deliver legendary gaming experiences to players in China,” said Johanna Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “We are immensely grateful for the passion the Chinese community has shown for Blizzard games throughout the years, and we are focused on bringing our universes back to players with excellence and dedication.” 

“Celebrating our collaborations, we are thrilled to 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 William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director, NetEase. “Our commitment to providing more exhilarating and creative entertainment experience remains unwavering, and we are excited to see positive synergies fostered to encourage and empower collaborations to bring the joy of gaming to a broad community.” 

“Blizzard and NetEase have done incredible work to renew our commitment to players – Blizzard’s universes have been part of players’ lives in the region for many years. 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,” said Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming.

Are you located in China or are you interested in NetEase games coming to Xbox? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!