REDMOND (dpa-AFX) - Millions of video game players of China will soon be
able to play Blizzard's hit video games, following the company's renewed
publishing deal with Hangzhou-based NetEase (NTES).

The subsidiary of Microsoft (MSFT) announced that the video games, including
World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and other titles in the Warcraft, Overwatch,
Diablo, and StarCraft universes, will return to China in the summer of this
year.

'After continuing discussions over the past year, both Blizzard Entertainment
and NetEase are thrilled to align on a path forward to once again support
players in mainland China and are proud to reaffirm their commitment to
delivering exceptional gaming experiences,' the company said in a statement.

The revival of the video game partnership comes after a fallout between the two
companies in 2023 due to disagreements over key terms of the licensing deal,
blaming each other for the mistreatment of Chinese players.

Following the spat, all the games under the Blizzard titles were suspended in
China, except Diablo Immortal, a mobile game co-developed by Blizzard and
NetEase.

'We at Blizzard are thrilled to reestablish our partnership with NetEase and to
work together, with deep appreciation for the collaboration between our teams,
to deliver legendary gaming experiences to players in China,' said Johanna
Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment. 'We are immensely grateful for the
passion the Chinese community has shown for Blizzard games throughout the years,
and we are focused on bringing our universes back to players with excellence and
dedication.'

Separately, Microsoft has also struck a deal with NetEase to bring new titles of
the Chinese company to Xbox consoles, the company stated.

'Returning Blizzard's legendary games to players in China while exploring ways
to bring more new titles to Xbox demonstrates our commitment to bringing more
games to more players around the world,' said Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft
Gaming.

Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft in 2023 for $68.7 billion.



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