Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Games and NetEase (NASDAQ stock code: NTES, Hong Kong Stock Exchange stock code: 09999) jointly announced today that the game works of Blizzard Entertainment, which are loved by millions of local players, will return to the Chinese Mainland market in succession since this summer according to the updated game distribution agreement.
After a year of continuous discussions, Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase are delighted to reach an agreement to continue providing services to Chinese server players in the future, and solemnly reaffirm their commitment to providing excellent gaming experiences.
The updated game publishing agreement will cover all national server games under the previous agreement, including World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and other series of games based on the respective game universes of Warcraft, Vanguard, Diablo, and StarCraft. On the basis of a collaboration that has lasted for over fifteen years, Blizzard and NetEase are working hard to develop a return plan, and more details will be announced in the future.
In addition, Microsoft Games and NetEase have reached an agreement to try to bring new NetEase games to Xbox and other platforms.
Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries said, "Blizzard colleagues are very pleased to once again form a partnership with NetEase to bring excellent gaming experiences to Chinese players. We are very grateful to the Chinese player community for their enthusiasm for Blizzard games over the years. We will focus on bringing our gaming world back to players with excellent quality and dedication."
Ding Lei, CEO and Director of NetEase, said, "To celebrate our collaboration, we are delighted to start the next chapter of providing services to our users in this unique community we have built together, based on trust and mutual respect. We will continue to be steadfast in our commitment to providing more exciting and creative entertainment experiences. We are delighted to see both parties actively working together, encouraging and strengthening cooperation, and bringing the joy of gaming to the community at large."
Microsoft Games CEO Phil Spencer said, "Blizzard and NetEase have done a great job in fulfilling our commitment to players. Blizzard's gaming world has been a part of local players' lives for many years. Bringing Blizzard's legendary games back to China and exploring how to bring more new games to Xbox demonstrate our commitment to bringing more games to more players worldwide."