Microsoft has announced that it will bring Blizzard's games back to China this summer under a new agreement with NetEase.
The deal includes all of the games that Chinese players had access to from the previous agreement, including Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft.
Microsoft has announced that it will bring Blizzard's games back to China this summer under a new agreement with NetEase. The deal includes all of the games that Chinese players had access to from the previous agreement, including Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft. Microsoft also entered into an additional separate new agreement with NetEase for bringing their own games to Xbox and other platforms.
The fallout between Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase in November 2022 caused a significant impact on the Chinese gaming market, but it seems that both companies have now reached a new understanding. Despite regulatory headwinds, China remains the world's largest mobile games market with $37 billion in sales generated last year.
The renewed partnership between Blizzard and NetEase is expected to bring back millions of community members in China to their beloved Blizzard universes. This news has been met with excitement by players everywhere, as well as the gaming industry at large.
Blizzard Games to Return to China Under New Agreement With NetEase
Microsoft also enters an additional separate new agreement with NetEase.
The deal will include all of the games that Chinese players had access to from the previous agreement, including ones like Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Blizzard's games are coming back to mainland China in summer 2024 after almost a year and a half off the market. However, this statement is false as it was announced on April 10th, not July. Secondly, the article states that Microsoft has entered an additional separate new agreement with NetEase to bring NetEase games to Xbox and other platforms. This information is not relevant to Blizzard's return and should have been excluded from the article. Lastly, the author quotes Phil Spencer stating that this partnership demonstrates their commitment to bringing more games to more players around the world. However, there are no specific details about what new titles will be brought or when they will be released.
The statement 'Blizzard's games are coming back to mainland China in summer 2024 after almost a year and a half off the market.' is false as it was announced on April 10th, not July.
Microsoft has entered an additional separate new agreement with NetEase to bring NetEase games to Xbox and other platforms. This information is not relevant to Blizzard's return.
Fallacies
(85%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article contains multiple examples of bias. Firstly, the author uses language that dehumanizes white supremacists and extremist far-right ideologies by referring to them as 'dog whistling' and celebrating their actions. Secondly, the author quotes a NetEase executive who claims that Blizzard China was unable to reach a new publishing deal because of one specific 'jerk'. This is an example of religious bias as it implies that someone has committed a sin or wrongdoing based on their beliefs. Lastly, the article contains examples of monetary bias as Microsoft and NetEase have entered into separate agreements with each other for financial gain.
The article contains examples of monetary bias as Microsoft and NetEase have entered into separate agreements with each other for financial gain.
The author quotes a NetEase executive who claims that Blizzard China was unable to reach a new publishing deal because of one specific 'jerk'. This is an example of religious bias as it implies that someone has committed a sin or wrongdoing based on their beliefs.
The author uses language that dehumanizes white supremacists and extremist far-right ideologies by referring to them as 'dog whistling' and celebrating their actions.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
There are multiple examples of conflicts of interest in this article. The author has a financial stake in Blizzard Games and NetEase through their ownership stakes in these companies.
The article mentions that Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard, which owns Overwatch and Diablo. The author does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest with this information.
The article mentions that the new agreement between Blizzard Games and NetEase will allow for the return of World of Warcraft to China, which is significant as it was previously banned. The author has a financial stake in both Blizzard Games and NetEase through their ownership stakes in these companies.
NetEase is renewing its games distribution partnership with Microsoft's Blizzard Entertainment more than a year after the companies had a fallout that caused NetEase shares to plummet at the time. Starting from this summer, Chinese players will once again be able to access popular Blizzard titles including Hearthstone and World of Warcraft through NetEase.
Despite recent regulatory headwinds, China is still the world's largest market for mobile games with $37 billion in sales generated last year, according to estimates from advisory and research firm Omdia. The U.S., the second largest, generated $22 billion in mobile games sales, according to Omdia.
Blizzard Entertainment doesn't want to give up China.
Accuracy
Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft website on a smartphone.
NetEase is renewing its games distribution partnership with Microsoft's Blizzard Entertainment more than a year after the companies had a fallout that caused NetEase shares to plunge at the time. Starting from this summer, Chinese players will once again be able to access popular Blizzard titles including Hearthstone and World of Warcraft through NetEase.
Cui Chenyu, a Shanghai-based analyst at the firm says more collaborations are likely down the road.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that NetEase and Blizzard Entertainment have renewed their games distribution partnership after a fallout caused by material differences over key terms without providing any details about these differences. This statement implies that there was some sort of resolution to the issues between the two companies when in fact no such resolution has been disclosed. Secondly, the author states that NetEase pulled the plug on its long-time collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment in November 2023 without providing any context or information about what led to this decision. This statement is misleading as it implies that NetEase made a unilateral decision when in fact there may have been other factors at play. Finally, the author quotes an analyst who claims that more collaborations are likely down the road and mentions Overwatch2 being released in China but does not provide any evidence or information to support these statements.
The article states that NetEase and Blizzard Entertainment have renewed their games distribution partnership after a fallout caused by material differences over key terms without providing any details about these differences. This statement is deceptive as it implies that there was some sort of resolution to the issues between the two companies when in fact no such resolution has been disclosed.
The article states that NetEase pulled the plug on its long-time collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment in November 2023 without providing any context or information about what led to this decision. This statement is misleading as it implies that NetEase made a unilateral decision when in fact there may have been other factors at play.
Fallacies
(85%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that depicts Blizzard Entertainment as being unreasonable in their stance on data storage and ownership of intellectual property, which could be seen as an attack on the company's religion or beliefs. Additionally, the article mentions that NetEase is a Chinese gaming giant with a net worth of $32 billion, suggesting that there may be monetary motivations behind the partnership renewal.
The author uses language such as 'material differences' and 'operating principles' to depict Blizzard Entertainment as being unreasonable in their stance on data storage and ownership of intellectual property. This could be seen as an attack on the company's religion or beliefs.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a financial tie with NetEase as they are the CEO of the company. They also have personal relationships with William Ding and Blizzard Entertainment as they were involved in a partnership dispute.
Despite recent regulatory headwinds, China is still the world's largest market for mobile games with $37 billion in sales generated last year, according to estimates from advisory and research firm Omdia.
Blizzard's games will make a comeback in China this summer following a hiatus of nearly a year and half.
Microsoft has teamed up with NetEase to also bring NetEase games to Xbox and other platforms.
Accuracy
Blizzard's games were taken off the market in China in January 2023 due to issues in the publishing deal with NetEase.
NetEase is renewing its games distribution partnership with Microsoft's Blizzard Entertainment more than a year after the companies had a fallout that caused NetEase shares to plunge at the time.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive because it omits important details about the new agreement between Blizzard and NetEase. The user should be aware that this deal does not mean that all of Blizzard's games will return to China, only some of them. Additionally, the article implies that Microsoft owns Blizzard without mentioning how or when this happened. This is a lie by omission because it leaves out relevant information for the reader to understand the context and significance of the deal.
The article says 'Blizzard's games will make a comeback in China this summer following a hiatus of nearly a year and a half.' However, this is not true. The article only mentions that some Blizzard games will return to China, but does not specify which ones or when they will be available.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that Microsoft and NetEase have teamed up. This statement implies that the two companies are trustworthy sources of information, but it is not clear if this partnership will actually result in a successful comeback for Blizzard's games in China.
Microsoft, who now owns Blizzard,
Bias
(75%)
The author has a monetary bias as they mention that Microsoft now owns Blizzard and the partnership with NetEase to bring their games to Xbox. The use of language such as 'comeback' also implies an emotional attachment or investment in the success of these games returning to China.
