Blizzard’s Hearthstone to Return to China on September 25
American video game giant Blizzard Entertainment has officially announced that its popular digital collectible card game, Hearthstone, will resume operations in the Chinese market on September 25. This announcement marks a significant milestone in the renewed partnership between Blizzard and Chinese publisher NetEase, following a high-profile split that halted all Blizzard game services in China last January due to failed licensing negotiations. To welcome back players, Blizzard revealed a generous compensation package: all users on Chinese servers, including new registrants, will receive 2,154 game cards for free upon logging in, covering all content missed during the 2023 hiatus. The outage previously impacted Hearthstone's inclusion in the Hangzhou Asian Games esports lineup. The return follows a reconciliation agreement reached in April 2024, restoring a collaboration that spans over 15 years. This move signals the full restoration of Blizzard's major titles in one of the world's largest gaming markets, aiming to rebuild the player base and re-establish competitive ecosystems after more than a year of absence.
Wire timeline
Blizzard’s Hearthstone to Return to China on September 25
American video game giant Blizzard Entertainment has officially announced that its popular digital collectible card game, Hearthstone, will resume operations in the Chinese market on September 25. This announcement marks a significant milestone in the renewed partnership between Blizzard and Chinese publisher NetEase, following a high-profile split that halted all Blizzard game services in China last January due to failed licensing negotiations. To welcome back players, Blizzard revealed a generous compensation package: all users on Chinese servers, including new registrants, will receive 2,154 game cards for free upon logging in, covering all content missed during the 2023 hiatus. The outage previously impacted Hearthstone's inclusion in the Hangzhou Asian Games esports lineup. The return follows a reconciliation agreement reached in April 2024, restoring a collaboration that spans over 15 years. This move signals the full restoration of Blizzard's major titles in one of the world's largest gaming markets, aiming to rebuild the player base and re-establish competitive ecosystems after more than a year of absence.
TechNode