Chinese publisher’s employees engaged in act of vandalism.

For 14 years, NetEase has been responsible for publishing Blizzard’s games in China, a partnership that has been incredibly lucrative for both companies. Profits from these games fueled the Chinese publisher’s tremendous growth over the last decade, and although it cannot be said that NetEase’s success is solely due to this partnership, it is now one of the largest internet and videogame companies in the world.

However, tensions have risen in a way that can only be described as comically petty, given the size of the companies involved.
It was announced late last year that the partnership between Blizzard and NetEase would not be renewed. This resulted in a minor war of words between the companies, with Blizzard blaming NetEase for the issues that arose when it refused to agree to a six-month extension of the current terms. Now, NetEase has resorted to drastic measures, literally.

The significance of the partnership with Blizzard was symbolized by a giant statue of World of Warcraft’s legendary two-handed axe, Gorehowl, located outside the studio responsible for managing the Blizzard licenses. In a livestream that has since been uploaded to social media (thanks, WoWhead), NetEase employees can be seen surrounding the statue and destroying it piece by piece.

In the end, there is nothing left of Gorehowl but rubble. It is worth noting that in the game’s lore, this weapon is associated with epic betrayals. After the statue is destroyed, the NetEase employees are seen drinking ‘Blizzard’ green tea in a further act of spite. Although I cannot speak Chinese, it has been theorized that this is a reference to a misogynistic internet slang term that translates to “green tea bitch” (绿茶婊). This implies that someone appears pure, but is actually deceitful and greedy.
NetEase was not finished yet. It also issued a strongly worded statement on its official Weibo page. Firstly, NetEase claims that the extension offered by Blizzard was “unequal” and “unfair,” and that its subsequent public statements were “outrageous, inappropriate, and not in line with business logic.”

This was just the beginning. “[Blizzard’s] arrogance did not take into account the position it has left players and NetEase in by demanding everything. It is like riding a mule to find a horse, the behavior of people divorced but still trying to live together”.

NetEase, the Chinese publisher, denies ever seeking any intellectual property rights from Blizzard, and criticizes the save transfer functionality that Blizzard China has released for the game, which users have also said there are problems with. The Chinese publisher claims that Blizzard “unilaterally” developed this and warns of security risks, saying that Blizzard bears full responsibility for any issues.

NetEase then signs off in a poetic fashion, with a final statement: “While this goodbye marks the end of our story, NetEase will do its best to support players through the final moments and serve them until the end. From now on, wherever you may go, may the wind guide your way and the stars light your path. And of course, wishing everyone a happy new year.”

The conflict between the two companies has caused a public airing of grievances, with NetEase feeling disrespected and wronged by Blizzard, while the latter may be wondering what caused such a successful partnership to turn sour. As of January 23rd, the publishing deal between the companies will expire and Blizzard’s games will no longer operate in China, the return of which depends on finding another publishing partner in the region. However, NetEase’s actions may also be interpreted as a message from the Chinese government to other Western companies to not engage in similar business deals.