Activision Blizzard Reports NetEase Declined Partnership Extension Offer

According to Activision Blizzard, it approached NetEase with a proposal to prolong their longstanding collaboration, which has seen NetEase manage publishing and operations for key Blizzard titles in China. However, NetEase turned down the offer. A statement posted by Blizzard China on Weibo revealed that the company had requested a six-month extension following the decision to end their 14-year partnership in November, but this was rejected by NetEase. Consequently, the partnership is set to expire on January 23 as scheduled, resulting in the removal of seven Blizzard games from the Chinese market, including World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Hearthstone. This development comes after reports that NetEase has started dissolving the team responsible for handling these titles in China. Initially, when the split was announced, NetEase CEO William Ding stated that his company had made significant efforts to negotiate with Activision Blizzard but was unable to reach an agreement due to substantial differences. Blizzard, on the other hand, claimed that the two companies could not agree on a deal that aligned with Blizzard's operational principles and commitments to players and employees. Currently, Activision Blizzard is searching for an alternative partner in China, although it is unlikely that a new partnership will be established before the expiration of the NetEase deal. In response to Activision Blizzard's proposal, NetEase expressed that the extension was partially inappropriate and described the proposal as rude, unreasonable, and commercially illogical, further stating that Activision Blizzard makes endless, exorbitant demands while taking unfair advantage without assuming responsibilities.