• Hangzhou-based game publisher NetEase will announce the official return of Blizzard to China by the end of March or in early April
  • The revival of Blizzard’s partnership with NetEase will let the US developer back into the world’s largest video gaming market by revenue

OUR TAKE
Blizzard is returning to China in the coming weeks after the US video gaming giant resumed a partnership with NetEase following a high-profile bust-up last year.
Blizzard positively contributes to the growth of the gaming industry in China, it provides Chinese gamers with access to high-quality gaming experiences and services. This move not only fosters cultural exchange but also injects new vitality and creativity into the Chinese market, offering gamers more choices and opportunities.
-Jennifer YU, BTW reporter

Hangzhou-based game publisher NetEase will announce the official return of Blizzard to China by the end of March or in early April, according to a report by media outlet CoreEsports.

Ready for return

NetEase Games will manage operations for Blizzard’s games, while NetEase’s gaming subsidiary Leihuo Technology will handle the marketing, according to CoreEsports.

Besides, the player base for Blizzard’s games in China is substantial, and with the added value of its gaming IP, NetEase stands a good chance of securing the rights to develop mobile versions of Blizzard’s titles if the pair resumes collaboration.

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Why return  

As mentioned by the 36Kr report in January, the latest update followed earlier reports that Blizzard had been talking to other Chinese publishers to bring World of Warcraft, a very popular game in China, back to the country, but ultimately chose to renew its partnership with NetEase.

Although World of Warcraft has a huge fan base in China, its popularity has been declining.

It had 5 million active players in China in 2009, but that number had dropped to 350,000 by the time Blizzard suspended the service in January this year, according to state media agency Xinhua News and gaming information provider Wowdata.

The Chinese market is one of Blizzard’s largest in the world, and the revival of Blizzard’s partnership with NetEase would let the US developer back into the world’s largest video gaming market by revenue, after an absence of over a year.