(Reuters) – Activision Blizzard’s game development and publishing unit said on Thursday it would be suspending most Blizzard game services in mainland China, as its current licensing agreements with NetEase ends in January.
Blizzard Entertainment said it had not reached a deal with Chinese Internet and gaming giant NetEase to renew the agreements that is “consistent with Blizzard’s operating principles and commitments to players and employees.”
The California-based company said new sales would be suspended in the coming days and Chinese players would soon receive further details, but it added that upcoming releases for ‘World of Warcraft: Dragonflight’, ‘Hearthstone: March of the Lich King’, and season 2 of ‘Overwatch 2’ will proceed later this year.
(Reporting by Bharat Govind Gautam in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
