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Activision Blizzard and NetEase were not able to renew their licensing deal, and this means some of the popular game titles will no longer be available in China. With the non-renewal of the contract, the companies effectively ended their 14-year agreement.
According to CNBC, Activision Blizzard and NetEase first signed a deal in August 2008, and it is set to expire in January 2023. The companies failed to agree on terms thus, their business partnership ended.
As a result, some hugely popular games are shutting down in China, including the well-liked massively multiplayer online role-playing game, “World of Warcraft”, and “Overwatch.” Five of Activision Blizzard’s video game titles will vanish as soon as NetEase’s license to operate them in the country expires.
Players will no longer be able to access the games since the Chinese government requires that games must have licenses and a local publisher to operate. But there is still a bit of hope for the Chinese players as Activision Blizzard said that it is looking for a way to continue by seeking alternatives.
While waiting for a new deal or local partner, the sales of Activision Blizzard’s games will stop in the next few days. Then again, the company admitted that securing a new license and publisher may take a long time.
BBC News mentioned that in addition to “Overwatch” and “World of Warcraft,” the other games that will be pulled out and will no longer be accessible online in China are “Diablo 3,” “Starcraft,” “Hearthstone,” and “Heroes of the Storm.”
“We are honored to have had the privilege of serving our gamers over the past 14 years and have shared many precious moments with them during that time,” NetEase’s chief executive officer, William Ding, said in a statement. “We will continue our promise to serve our players well until the last minute. We will make sure our players’ data and assets are well protected in all of our games.”
