It was in November, when Blizzard announced that its deal with NetEase that allowed the former to publish games in mainland China since 2008 would expire on January 23, 2023, the result of either party’s failure to reach an agreement to renew the license. At the same time, it failed to reach an agreement in line with its “operating principles and commitments to players and employees. “
Attempts to extend the deal for six months so Blizzard can locate a new publishing partner in China have failed. The country’s strict gaming regulations require that foreign titles be published only through local providers to comply with proper licensing regulations.
The companies threw accusations at each other after negotiations broke down, and in January, most of Blizzard’s games were recalled in China. NetEase filed a lawsuit against Blizzard over refunds it was required to pay to affected players. Blizzard responded with its own lawsuits, alleging copyright infringement and unfair festivity over NetEase’s Justice game, designed to appeal to WoW fans.
However, it appears that relations between the firms have been restored in the wake of Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Chinese news site 36Kr writes that Blizzard had been in talks with other publishers in the country to bring its games back, but it has now managed to renew the original partnership with NetEase.
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