Blizzard and NetEase renew WoW licence deal

Blizzard and NetEase have announced a renewed licensing agreement to operate World of Warcraft in China.

The new deal takes care of any potential concerns ahead of the upcoming launch of Mists of Pandaria, the fourth major expansion for the MMO.

The companies originally came together back in 2009, with WoW, Warcraft III, Starcraft II, and Blizzard’s Battle.net as part of the partnership. The new deal extends that partnership at least until 2015.

"We are excited to continue our partnership with Blizzard Entertainment after three years of highly effective cooperation on World of Warcraft," stated NetEase CEO William Ding.

"Both companies have complementary business strategies and share a similar corporate culture. I am confident that with Blizzard Entertainment’s expertise in developing world-class games and NetEase’s experience in local game operation, we will be able to provide the best gaming experiences for players in China."