After collaborating for 14 years, in 2023 we witnessed the end of the partnership between NetEase and Activision Blizzard. Disagreements between both companies resulted in the closure of World of Warcraft in China and the loss of a large number of players. Fortunately, MMORPG lovers will be able to return to Azeroth sooner than they think, as Blizzard states in a statement.
The catastrophic end of the collaboration between both companies prevented World of Warcraft from being able to continue operating due to local regulations. The Chinese government requires the presence of a local publisher to operate in China for a game to be accessible to citizens. However, the numerous disagreements and legal disputes between Activision Blizzard and NetEase ended up dissolving their alliance. As a result, Chinese players lost access to popular titles such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, or Overwatch, among others.
Tensions eased after Microsoft completed the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for nearly $70 billion in October of last year. Media outlets like SCMP report that NetEase and Blizzard are negotiating a new agreement for World of Warcraft to return to China, along with the rest of the Activision Blizzard catalog.
China is one of the largest gaming markets in the world, generating up to 42 billion dollars just last year, according to the BBC.
