• Activision Blizzard has announced that Chinese publisher NetEase turned down their proposal to extend their partnership.
• NetEase rejected the offer to extend the partnership by six months, leading Activision to discontinue game services in the near future.
• The US video game holding company is currently in talks with potential partners to continue offering their hit game, World of Warcraft, to Chinese end-users.
Activision Blizzard, an American video game holding company, recently revealed that Chinese publisher NetEase rejected their proposal to extend their partnership. The proposal was to extend their collaboration by six months, however, NetEase declined the offer, leaving Activision Blizzard to search for a new partner.
In order to find a suitable partner, Activision Blizzard announced it will discontinue its game services in the near future. This decision was made in a statement on the microblogging site Weibo by Blizzard China, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard. The statement read: „It is a pity that NetEase is not willing to extend services of our game for another six months on the basis of existing terms as we look for a new partner.“
In the meantime, Blizzard China will allow gamers to save their game progress, purchase virtual items, and complete in-game transactions until the service is officially discontinued.
Additionally, Activision Blizzard revealed last December that it was in talks with potential partners to continue offering their hit game, World of Warcraft, to Chinese end users. World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that has become a global phenomenon since its launch in 2004.
The US video game developer is currently in the process of establishing a Chinese partnership to ensure Chinese gamers can continue to enjoy World of Warcraft. The new partnership will also help to strengthen the international presence of Activision Blizzard, as they look to expand their reach in the Asian market.
It is yet to be seen who the new partner will be, but it is certain that Activision Blizzard is looking for a new Chinese partner that will help to ensure the continuation of World of Warcraft in China and beyond.