April 2009
Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase.com have announced that Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft will be licensed to an affiliated company of NetEase in China for a term of three years following the expiration of the current license agreement.
Both companies announced a partnership on Warcraft III, StarCraft II, and Battle.net gaming platform last summer. This announcement further enhances the partnership between the two companies and promotes a consistent level of quality and service in China for all Blizzard Entertainment games involved in the partnership.
"We appreciate the enthusiasm that Chinese gamers have shown us over the years, and we've always worked hard, in collaboration with our partners, to ensure that these players receive the same high-quality service and gameplay experiences that we deliver in other regions," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment.
"This new agreement with NetEase will support that goal for years to come, and we look forward to collaborating with them on a smooth transition for World of Warcraft moving forward."
"We are excited to be working with Blizzard Entertainment now on World of Warcraft in addition to Warcraft III, StarCraft II, and Battle.net," stated William Ding, CEO of NetEase.
"By combining Blizzard Entertainment's expertise in developing world-class games with NetEase's strength in online-game operation in China, I am confident that we will be able to deliver the best gaming experiences in the world to our players."
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