Known for its harsh laws and strict licensing procedures, China will soon take a step that will annoy players. Blizzard, whose license agreement with NetEase will expire in the coming months, is preparing to shoot its games in the Chinese market.Diablo Immortal will not be blocked
One of the biggest names in the gaming world, Blizzard’s license agreement with the Chinese company NetEase will expire on January 23, 2023. As of this date, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch 2, Warcraft 3, StarCraft series, Diablo 3 and Heroes of the Storm will no longer be playable in China.
Diablo Immortal, which debuted in the past months, will continue to be accessible as it was developed in collaboration with Blizzard and NetEase. Blizzard confirmed that they were unable to reach a new licensing agreement with NetEase, so their games will be out of reach in the country as of February 2023.
Blizzard and NetEase are at odds
Blizzard thanked the players in China as the license agreement will expire and stated that they will try to meet again in the future. NetEase’s Head of Partnership, Simon Zhu, used words to insult Blizzard officials. It seems that the once important partnership has approached the point of no return.
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