Blizzard and NetEase are reportedly teaming up to bring back World of Warcraft in China

World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and more Blizzard games are potentially set for a return to China, as reports indicate a renewed partnership between Blizzard and NetEase. According to Core Esports, there are indications that Blizzard’s gaming offerings may resume in China by late March or early April.

Core Esports reports that the return of game services by Blizzard and NetEase indicates a potential comeback by the end of March or the start of April.

World of Warcraft has been popular in China, the world’s largest gaming market, but its player base has declined over the years. In 2009, it had 5 million active players, but by January of the current year, that number had dropped to 350,000 when Blizzard suspended services.The companies had experienced disagreements over the terms for extending their partnership before it expired.

World of Warcraft’s Chinese servers closed on January 23, 2023, after running for sixteen years. The shutdown happened quietly because of problems with Blizzard’s account saving system. In December 2023, we reported that NetEase and Blizzard struck a deal to revive the service.