After a 14-year partnership, China’s NetEase and Activision Blizzard have ended their feud over intellectual property control, allowing popular games like World of Warcraft to return to the country this summer. The dispute between the two companies sparked outcry among millions of Chinese internet users who feared losing access to their favorite games.
In order to operate in China, all games require a local publisher and licenses from the government. The legal battle between NetEase and Activision Blizzard eventually led to reconciliation, with Blizzard Entertainment expressing gratitude for the passion of the Chinese community for their games.
Apart from World of Warcraft, other franchises such as Hearthstone, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft will also be returning to China. As the largest online gaming market globally, China has domestic revenue of $42 billion at the end of last year. NetEase is the second-largest video games company in China after Tencent.
Microsoft has also agreed to explore bringing new NetEase titles to its gaming platforms with CEO Phil Spencer stating that it shows a commitment to expanding game availability worldwide. Despite facing challenges such as restrictions on gaming times for minors and limits on in-game purchases, the authorities have softened their stance on strict regulations aimed at combating “obsessive” gaming behavior.
