Why China shut down World of Warcraft?

Millions of Chinese gamers have lost access to World of Warcraft after a furious dispute between U.S. title owner Activision Blizzard and NetEase

NetEase

NetEase develops and operates online PC and mobile games, advertising services, email services, and e-commerce platforms in China. It is one of the largest Internet and video game companies in the world. NetEase has an on-demand music-streaming service (NetEase Music). The company also owns several pig farms.

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NetEase - Wikipedia

, its longtime local partner in the world's biggest gaming market.

Why did China stop World of Warcraft?

American gaming company Activision Blizzard, the title owner of World of Warcraft, suspended services and shut down its servers in China, because of a licensing disagreement with their partner, the Chinese gaming giant NetEase.

Is WoW coming back to China?

Chinese WoW Servers Shut Down After 14 Years Following Expiration Of NetEase Agreement. Blizzard games, including World of Warcraft, will be unplayable in China for the foreseeable future.

Why did overwatch shut down in China?

Overwatch 2 servers in mainland China have been shut down due to a disagreement between Blizzard and Netease. This shutdown does not come as a surprise. As previously reported, Blizzard was unable to reach an agreement with NetEase, the Chinese tech company in charge of publishing the games in mainland China.

Is Warcraft popular in China?

It impacts not just Warcraft, which has an estimated three million players in China, but Blizzard's other hits like multiplayer shooter Overwatch, card game Hearthstone, and sci-fi strategy title Starcraft.

Blizzard Games Get Shut Down & Go Offline In China After Dispute With NetEase

Who runs WoW in China?

NetEase, Inc.

It is one of the largest Internet and video game companies in the world.

Who runs World of Warcraft in China?

Blizzard's games have been available in China since 2008 through collaboration with NetEase. Under local law, foreign developers are required to partner with Chinese firms to enter the market.

Why did China ban consoles?

Notably, China imposed a near-complete ban on video game consoles in 2000, fearing the addicting-like impact of games on its youth; the ban was ultimately lifted in 2015.

Is Blizzard owned by China?

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, the company was founded on February 8, 1991, under the name Silicon & Synapse, Inc.

Why was Overwatch made illegal?

An argument between the two at Overwatch's headquarters in Switzerland ends in an explosion, after which both are presumed dead. After these events, the UN signed the Petras Act, outlawing any further activity by Overwatch. As any other action would be deemed illegal, Overwatch disbanded.

Why did Blizzard lose China?

Blizzard Entertainment titles including Overwatch, Starcraft, Hearthstone and World of Warcraft have officially gone offline in China following a tumultuous end to the developer's distribution partnership with NetEase, which saw the two gaming giants fail to negotiate an extension to their 14 year-old licensing ...

Why is WoW declining?

World of Warcraft is one of the most profitable games in history, but it's undeniably in decline. Faced with rampant lawsuits and poor exec decisions, Activision Blizzard has started hemorrhaging players and key talent across its games and development teams.

How is WoW different in China?

Historically, the Chinese version of the game has been altered to tone down depictions of skeletons and death to court approval from Chinese censors.

Who owns World of Warcraft now?

We connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. Our products help build community and create social platforms that bring people together. We are relentlessly curious, pushing the boundaries of what is possible to create games of our dreams—and yours.

How many players did WoW lose?

In a graphical version of Blizzard's Monthly Active Users (MAU) stats from the 2021 Q4 call, it appears that Blizzard lost 5 million users during 2021 despite the release of WoW Shadowlands in October, 2020, and Diablo 2 Resurrected and WoW Burning Crusade Classic in 2021.

Why did the Chinese suddenly stop exploring?

First, the Yongle Emperor who sponsored Zheng He's first six voyages died in 1424. His son, the Hongxi Emperor, was much more conservative and Confucianist in his thought, so he ordered the voyages stopped. (There was one last voyage under Yongle's grandson, Xuande, in 1430-33.)

Does China own some of Disney?

Similar to the Hong Kong property, Shanghai Disneyland is owned by a partnership between the Walt Disney Company and the government of China. This partnership is called Shanghai Shendi Group.

What American brands does China own?

Why did China limit gaming?

For years, Chinese authorities have sought to control how much time kids can spend playing games online, to fight “internet addiction.” They've claimed success in curbing the problem but are taking no chances.

Is Xbox allowed in China?

Home gaming consoles were banned in mainland China from June 2000 until 2013. When the ban was lifted, eighth-generation consoles such as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were allowed in the country.

Why have China banned gaming?

Earlier this month, Chinese media described video games as an “opium for the mind” and “electronic drugs”, with parents saying children have been playing games for seven hours per day, with a detrimental affect on their scholastic performance. What does the ban include?

What MMO is most played in China?

Dungeon Fighter Online is still king in China, but World of Warcraft and Fantasy Westward Journey are pretty popular still as well.

Is WoW big in China?

Is WoW popular in Asia? China is one of the biggest markets for WoW. The Chinese are estimated to make up about half of its five million players. One of the studios behind the movie, Legendary Entertainment, is majority owned by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda, which acquired a controlling stake in January.

Do Japanese play World of Warcraft?

Despite language and technical barriers, World of Warcraft is home to a thriving Japanese community.