Blizzard ends its partnership with NetEase, the Chinese partner for the studio’s games. Accordingly, the games disappear from the country, at least temporarily – including World of Warcraft. Players from China are now starting new accounts in Taiwan, but a dispute is brewing there.
Why are Chinese players fleeing to Taiwan servers?
- Blizzard and NetEase recently announced that they will not extend their joint contract. Blizzard games such as WoW, Diablo 3, and Overwatch 2 will no longer be playable in China.
- No specific reason was given. However, a head of NetEase claims that it was due to just one person. He did not name any names.
- The decision will not take effect until January 23. By then, the games can still be played and purchased normally. But already, Chinese players are starting anew on other servers to continue playing after the end of the Chinese servers.
This is the problem now: A user on reddit mentions in his post that Chinese players would try to hijack one of the Taiwanese servers, changing the “atmosphere and culture” of the servers.
There are said to be great tensions between the two groups. Chinese players are allegedly trying to gain the upper hand through their sheer numbers and suppress players from Taiwan through mass reporting.
There is allegedly even a post in a Chinese forum calling for exactly such measures (via wowhead). It states that Chinese players should:
- write only in simplified Chinese – in Taiwan, traditional Chinese is written and spoken
- report anyone who says anything bad about China, especially if they write in traditional Chinese
- enter global chats and use simplified Chinese exclusively there
According to the post, mass reporting should lead to automated bans, so that the respective server is “no longer Taiwanese as soon as we have enough Chinese players here.”
Shortly before the release of Dragonflight, Blizzard presents the main features in the new gameplay trailer:
Dispute in the Community – Blizzard opens “global servers”
Is there any truth to this? The information cannot be confirmed, which is why moderators on reddit have decided to temporarily close the thread. However, there are some critical comments from users.
Many show sympathy in the situation, should it indeed occur as described. Others note that it feels like “hate baiting,” which “sadly works.” However, most agree that they can change little from here.
A user, who allegedly comes from Taiwan, writes that he cannot confirm the situation. He sees that there are Chinese players now coming to Taiwanese servers, but they are trying to adapt. While there are indeed some bad apples, he has seen more discussions from players who want to fit in.
This is Blizzard’s response: Blizzard has set up new “global” servers alongside the Taiwanese ones, which are reportedly located in Taipei. While this may not be as easily accessible as other locations, it is still easier than having no servers at all.
Whether the servers are truly a response to the tensions on the Taiwanese servers remains unconfirmed. Blizzard has not yet officially commented on the issue or the servers.
We asked Blizzard for a statement on the situation. A response is still pending.
Whether and when Blizzard will set up official Chinese servers again after January 23, 2023, remains uncertain. Currently, there is no new partner for the company in China, which would be needed to market and operate the game there. Additionally, Blizzard is currently at the center of one of the largest deals in gaming history:
Microsoft announces: They want to buy Activision Blizzard for 70 billion
