The US video game company said it proposed to extend partnership with NetEase for six more months but was rejected. The Chinese publisher’s team responsible for Blizzard games was disbanded.
Photo from CFP
By SHE Xiaochen
Activision Blizzard said its game services in China would cease operation on January 23 as its partnership with its Chinese publisher NetEase is coming to an end.
In a statement released on Weibo on Tuesday, Blizzard said it contacted NetEase last week with a proposal to extend their partnership for six months but was declined. Most of NetEase’s Blizzard games team staff have left the company or transferred to other departments.
In the statement, Blizzard said it has been talking to multiple potential new partners.
Blizzard first said in November 2022 that it would end its partnership with NetEase. NetEase responded that it had tried its best to negotiate with Blizzard for an extension, but the proposed terms requested by the US video game company were unacceptable. The two eventually failed to reach an agreement.
Blizzard has worked with NetEase for more than 14 years, bringing popular games like World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and Hearthstone to China.
