Tuesday, January 24th 2023

Blizzard is Closing its Servers in China Today. China Market Future Uncertain

by
btarunr
 Discuss (33 Comments)
Blizzard is about to shut down its services in China today, as it was unable to reach a favorable partnership renewal with NetEase, the Chinese company handling Blizzard's business in the Chinese market, including local regulatory compliance, geographic localization of servers, and accepting payments. NetEase CEO William Ding said the partnership renewal negotiations fell apart due to "material differences on key terms." This means gamers in China no longer have a means to play the genre-defining MMORPG "World of Warcraft," "Starcraft," and other popular titles. A lot has changed in China's domestic gaming industry over the past two decades, and there are dozens of popular game studios with their titles in the MMORPG genre.
Source: PC Gamer

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33 Comments on Blizzard is Closing its Servers in China Today. China Market Future Uncertain

#1
JaymondoGB
On the way out delete everything, else they will just take all the "IP" and resell it.
Posted on Reply
#2
TheinsanegamerN
I guess all that sucking up to xinnie the pooh did a whole lot for blizzard in the end, eh? Was banning hong kong protesters from your games and censoring the west to please the paper tiger worth it? :laugh: :roll: :laugh:

Seeing blizzard fall apart just got that much more enjoyable.
Posted on Reply
#4
ffolekram
Blizzard current ceo is just dragging the company down and not creating any value for Blizzard at the moment, Chinese market would be one of the biggest markets for Microsoft and Kotick just dumped the whole market with no backup plan, I wonder why Microsoft haven't yelled at Kotick yet.
Posted on Reply
#5
Argyr
claesForum thread offers better background and asks users to avoid politics, a practice editors might want to consider to save the mods some headaches

www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/blizzard-servers-in-china-shut-down-today.303987/
Too late, the China-foaming has already begun.
TheinsanegamerNI guess all that sucking up to xinnie the pooh did a whole lot for blizzard in the end, eh? Was banning hong kong protesters from your games and censoring the west to please the paper tiger worth it? :laugh: :roll: :laugh:

Seeing blizzard fall apart just got that much more enjoyable.
Yes yes, we know. China bad... China evil etc.
Posted on Reply
#6
InVasMani
That's going to cost them both. This might even be more ugly than the Nvidia and EVGA split.
Posted on Reply
#7
JaymondoGB
ArgyrToo late, the China-foaming has already begun.


Yes yes, we know. China bad... China evil etc.
Sadly too much of the world is scared to mention anything negative about them, however, they are happy to take there once cheeper goods, and ingore everything else they are up to.
Posted on Reply
#8
Argyr
JaymondoGBSadly too much of the world is scared to mention anything negative about them, however, they are happy to take there once cheeper goods, and ingore everything else they are up to.
Are you talking about the United States?
Posted on Reply
#9
ExcuseMeWtf
Beginning of an end of Blizzard? This is quite a huge market they will be missing.
Posted on Reply
#10
Selaya
had been known for like, half a year or so already.
but evidently an impending trainwreck doesnt makes as much of a headline than when it actually does happen so ...
Posted on Reply
#11
HairyLobsters
TheinsanegamerNI guess all that sucking up to xinnie the pooh did a whole lot for blizzard in the end, eh? Was banning hong kong protesters from your games and censoring the west to please the paper tiger worth it? :laugh: :roll: :laugh:

Seeing blizzard fall apart just got that much more enjoyable.
What sucking up did blizzard do? Some Chinese affiliates said some stuff I remember, but I don't recall Blizzard proper doing anything that other game companies don't already do.
Posted on Reply
#12
64K
ExcuseMeWtfBeginning of an end of Blizzard? This is quite a huge market they will be missing.
imo Blizzard will find a Chinese Publisher eventually. There's too much financial loss otherwise. They may have to negotiate more favorable terms for another Chinese Publisher than they did with NetEase or even renegotiate terms with NetEase but Blizzard's not going to give up that regional market.
Posted on Reply
#13
HairyLobsters
ffolekramBlizzard current ceo is just dragging the company down and not creating any value for Blizzard at the moment, Chinese market would be one of the biggest markets for Microsoft and Kotick just dumped the whole market with no backup plan, I wonder why Microsoft haven't yelled at Kotick yet.
Because Microsoft doesn't Own Activision/Blizzard, the deal hasn't been approved.
Posted on Reply
#14
Vayra86
KARMA MOTHERFUCKERS.

'Don't you have phones sense?'

Reorientation onto the original business plan in 3...2...1...
Better start unfreezing Starcraft Ghost and a real WoW successor now that there's still money in the bank, or you will be eaten, Actizard. Because that CoD fanbase is dwindling, and you basically pissed all over Diablo already, unless you have some magic sauce in IV I don't know of.

They really need to haul ass. Producing a real game takes 3 years at least in any Blizzard timeframe for a decent title. Good luck Kotick
64Kimo Blizzard will find a Chinese Publisher eventually. There's too much financial loss otherwise. They may have to negotiate more favorable terms for another Chinese Publisher than they did with NetEase or even renegotiate terms with NetEase but Blizzard's not going to give up that regional market.
Their entire fanbase and history is in Western markets. They'll be a nothing in China.
Posted on Reply
#15
NoneRain
But not for Diablo immoral Immortal, right? They will keep the greediest mobile game in the biggest mobile market. Well..
Posted on Reply
#16
claes
So this thread suggests they were using NetEase’s as a licensor while the other one says they were just using their servers without any licensing. Which is it?

Also odd is NetEase seems to have a very cozy relationship with Microsoft. Why wouldn’t they come to an agreement?
Posted on Reply
#17
Totally
JaymondoGBOn the way out delete everything, else they will just take all the "IP" and resell it.
Oh silly, you're still under the impression the haven't done so already.
Posted on Reply
#19
mouacyk
Do you all not have socialism, or something?
Posted on Reply
#20
DrCR
JaymondoGBSadly too much of the world is scared to mention anything negative about them, however, they are happy to take there once cheeper goods, and ingore everything else they are up to.
This. China has been astonishingly effective at demanding self-censorship from the rest of the world.
ArgyrAre you talking about the United States?
Most any American is more than willing to grumble and point out flaws about their government— in stark contrast to anything CCP.

If we can’t talk about governments though, than maybe it’s permissible to speculate Microsoft is up to shenanigans in trying to arrange a better buyout deal … if we’re allowed to say anything bad about corporations ;p
Posted on Reply
#21
AsRock
TPU addict
claesSo this thread suggests they were using NetEase’s as a licensor while the other one says they were just using their servers without any licensing. Which is it?

Also odd is NetEase seems to have a very cozy relationship with Microsoft. Why wouldn’t they come to an agreement?
Don't know how true it is, but i heard they tried to get a 6 month contract with Netease, as i heard that in about that time they were going to some one else so Netease told them polity to go fck them selves. As it would only help a competitor against Netease
Posted on Reply
#22
Tartaros
Vayra86Better start unfreezing Starcraft Ghost
20 years. Let it go, you are hurting yourself. At least play the Nova campaign in SC2 and call it a day.
Posted on Reply
#23
Vayra86
Tartaros20 years. Let it go, you are hurting yourself. At least play the Nova campaign in SC2 and call it a day.
I'm not hurting :) Just suggesting a possible way for them to redeem themselves.
Posted on Reply
#25
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
Maybe this will make them learn their lesson not to screw their games up with micro transactions



As fun as the coop section of Starcraft II became, they basically abandoned everything else when they realised they had a source of micro-DLC to keep selling
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