On April 24th, 2023, reports emerged that Blizzard Entertainment was being sued by former Chinese publishing partner NetEase after servers shutdown in January due to a failed continuation agreement. However, a day later, it was discovered that the lawsuit was being brought by a single individual named Yang Jun, who is known to be a serial litigant and has no connection to NetEase. It appears that court documents erroneously listed NetEase as the plaintiff, and all mentions of the company have since been removed.
Blizzard and NetEase had enjoyed a successful partnership for 14 years before negotiations to renew the long-term licensing agreement broke down, resulting in the cessation of all Blizzard games and services in the region. This affected millions of Chinese players who lost access to their accounts and related data. While some started fresh with new accounts in other regions, most opted for a refund.
In a statement to Engadget, an Activision representative wrote, “We haven’t received the lawsuit yet, but we are confident we aren’t in breach of any licensing agreements. The terms NetEase appears to be complaining about reflect standard industry practice and have been mutually beneficial for years. While this persistent campaign by one former partner is disappointing and puzzling, it’s important to note that we have enjoyed nearly two decades of positive experiences operating in China and remain committed to serving players and protecting their interests.”
Despite reports of NetEase staff tearing down Blizzard offices and a seeming animosity between the two companies, the lawsuit is not from NetEase.
