Blizzard suspends service in China as NetEase agreement ends

Blizzard Entertainment announced that it’s suspending game services in China starting early next year. Its licensing agreements with Chinese game publisher NetEase expire on January 23, 2023, and according to Blizzard, it’s not going to renew the agreement. The two companies last renewed in 2019.

Blizzard says of its negotiations with NetEase: “The two parties have not reached a deal to renew the agreements that is consistent with Blizzard’s operating principles and commitments to players and employees.” It has not given any further details, but Bloomberg reports the ownership of player data and intellectual property was one of the sticking points. We have also seen tension between Blizzard and Chinese authorities since the last renewal.