The Chinese gaming market is notoriously restrictive, with few major overseas titles available to players there. Blizzard's popular franchises like Warcraft and Overwatch have managed to break through, but a dispute between the companies involved means they are being shut down.
NetEase's president of global investment, Simon Zhu, said he had spent"10,000 hours" playing those games in a damning statement about the break-up.
"One day, when what has happened behind the scene could be told, developers and gamers will have a whole new level of understanding of how much damage a jerk can make," he wrote on LinkedIn.NetEase rejected an offer earlier this month to extend the agreement by six months, describing the proposal as"commercially illogical" and accusing Blizzard of"seeking a divorce but still remaining attached".
Citing a person close to Blizzard, Reuters news agency reported that the dispute was down to NetEase wanting structural changes that would impact the US firm's control over its intellectual property. NetEase insisted"any usage and licensing of Blizzard's IP were done in accordance with contract terms and with Blizzard's consent and approval" throughout the 14-year agreement.
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