Why did Blizzard shut down in China?

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

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.

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › NetEase

NetEase - Wikipedia

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Will Blizzard come back to China?

Blizzard games go dark in China, with no return in sight: 'This is so tragic,' says former Hearthstone director. Blizzard is still looking for a "new partner" to bring its games back to Chinese players, but for now, they're out of luck.

Does Blizzard work with China?

After failing to reach a deal with publishing partner NetEase, Blizzard has shuttered most of its games in the country, including World of Warcraft, Overwatch 2, and Diablo. (Diablo Immortal remains unaffected, distributed through a separate publishing deal with NetEase.)

Why was Overwatch 2 banned in China?

According to developers, Overwatch and other Blizzard games would be suspended due to the company failing to find another licensing agreement. The initial one ended today, taking World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo III, and Overwatch 2 offline in China.

Did China lose World of Warcraft?

Millions of players in China have lost access to the iconic “World of Warcraft” franchise and other popular video games, as Blizzard Entertainment's servers in the country went offline after two decades.

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

Why did WoW end in China?

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.

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.

Why can t China play World of Warcraft?

The suspension follows a bitter dispute between Blizzard, a unit of Activision Blizzard, and NetEase. Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China. Last November, however, Blizzard and NetEase announced they would not renew licensing agreements that were set to expire this month.

Can China play WoW?

But after 14 years and millions of players in China, the two firms announced in November that talks over renewing their operating contract had failed to lead to an agreement. As a result, WoW's Chinese servers will go offline at midnight local time on Tuesday.

Did China ban console gaming?

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.

How much of China owns Blizzard?

So watching ABC news last night. Turns out a Chinese based company, actually owns seventy percent of Activision/Blizzard. Now we can see why the lootbox game mentality has over taken the game.

When did China buy Blizzard?

The Blizzard-NetEase deal, which was first struck back in August 2008, will now expire in January 2023 after the two firms were unable to agree on renewal terms. NetEase's Hong Kong-listed shares plunged 9% Thursday.

How many wow players are there 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.

Which country is most affected by blizzards?

Blizzards occur all over the world. But because they're closer to the Arctic, places like Russia, central and northeastern Asia, northern Europe, Canada, and the northern United States experience more blizzards than other parts of the globe.

Why doesn't China get much snow?

Blame it on the monsoon

These domes of frigid, sinking air typically block Pacific moisture from reaching northeast China during the winter. As a result, 2 percent of Beijing's annual average precipitation — a mere 0.40 inches — falls between December and February.

Can blizzards happen in the US?

In the United States, blizzards are common in the upper Midwest and the Great Plains but occur in most areas of the country except for the Gulf Coast and the California coast. Blizzards can occur all over the world, even in the tropics where it is cold on high altitude mountaintops.

What is China most popular online game?

Honor of Kings

HOK is the most popular game in the world, with over 200 million people playing it weekly, including over 55 million in China alone.

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.

Why is China limiting gaming?

The National Press and Publication Administration claims the video game ban intends to protect children's mental and physical health. The Chinese government have been concerned about eye problems among young gamers for a while now.

Why is China limiting online 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.

Does Japan play WoW?

Welcome to the world of #wowjp, a network of Japanese WoW players who've learned English primarily through playing the game. You can find localized versions of World of Warcraft in Korea, mainland China and Taiwan, but Japanese players are left to their own devices -- no dedicated servers, no language localization.

How much money does wow still make?

World of Warcraft revenue has reached over $14 billion from 2004 to 2022. This estimate is based on subscription numbers, $13.5 avg. subscription per month, and Chinese player value estimates.

Is Microsoft buying wow?

This sale is also massive in terms of the game franchises Microsoft now has control over; it now owns blockbuster franchises such as Call of Duty, Diablo, Starcraft, Candy Crush and World of Warcraft. And tens of millions of fans of these titles will now be wondering: what does this change in ownership mean for them?

How much money is wow making?

The game had over one hundred million registered accounts by 2014 and by 2017, had grossed over $9.23 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time.