Blizzard, NetEase Renew Their Publishing Partnership to 2023

LIAO SHUMIN

(Yicai Global) Jan. 11 — Blizzard Entertainment will extend its cooperation with Chinese publisher NetEase, the US game and video developer and publisher said on its account on China’s Twitter-like Weibo yesterday.

The pair have thus renewed their vows after 11 years of marriage. NetEase will keep the publishing rights to Irvine, California-based Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, StarCraft franchise, Diablo, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch in China until January 2023.

NetEase, which calls Beijing home, has helped Blizzard introduce StarCraft II and the gaming platform Battle.net into China since the start of their partnership in 2008, sharing the marvels of the US firm’s games with China’s gamers.

“NetEase has been instrumental in helping us bring Blizzard’s epic games to even more players around the world, and we’re grateful to have such a strong partner in China. We look forward to continuing our relationship and cooperation in China and beyond,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment.

“Our cooperation will rise to a new level in terms of scope and depth. I believe NetEase and Blizzard will bring a better gaming experience for global gamers,” commented NetEase’s founder and Chief Executive Ding Lei, also known by his English name William Ding.

Blizzard has given birth to Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Hearthstone, WoW and many other classic games.

Editor: Ben Armour