It looks like Blizzard and NetEase are restarting their partnership after the former was acquired by Microsoft as part of the Activision Blizzard deal. Reports suggest that a new deal between the Diablo and Starcraft developer and the Chinese publisher will mark the return of Blizzard titles to the region.
According to a new report from Chinese news site 36Kr, Blizzard and NetEase have struck a new licensing agreement to return to the country. The Diablo developer was reportedly in talks with multiple Chinese publishers before ultimately renewing its partnership with NetEase. Chinese laws require foreign studios to partner with a local gaming company in order to acquire a license to operate within the territory.
Blizzard suspended its services in China in January 2023 after it failed to renew its licensing deal with NetEase in 2022. This left many players without access to popular titles such as Diablo 3, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft. Diablo 4, which came out after the licensing agreement expired, cannot be played in China without the use of a VPN.