Blizzard and NetEase’s new deal was not just for Blizzard games to come to China. As it turns out, it could go the other way too.
As we had just reported, Blizzard and NetEase has just renewed their partnership to bring their biggest Blizzard games to China. However, their press release also shared this statement:
“Separately, Microsoft Gaming and NetEase have also entered into an agreement to explore bringing new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles and other platforms.”
Now, the first thing gamers seem to have had in mind with this statement was Marvel Rivals, but that doesn’t really make sense on the face of it. NetEase is already publishing games in America, notably Naraka: Bladepoint, which is available on PlayStation 5, as well as Windows and Xbox Series X|S.
Marvel Rivals was produced in partnership with Marvel Gaming, and as NetEase’s third Marvel title, they would have already prepared funding and support to publish this title themselves. It’s not that it’s 100 % impossible for Microsoft to be involved, but we may note that it wasn’t brought up in their press release.
NetEase have other games, particularly some upcoming titles, that might make more sense, as NetEase don’t have partners for them, and they could see the benefit of such a partnership, particularly on Xbox.
For example, we had recently reported on the upcoming beta test for Where Winds Meet, an open world action adventure game set in a semi-historical period in China. NetEase hasn’t announced platforms for this title yet, so it would be a prime acquisition for Microsoft.
NetEase also has Project Bloodstrike, an online FPS, Project E.O.E, an open world survival game, and Project Extreme, an extraction shooter, all slated for mobile and PC. All three of these games would clearly benefit from Blizzard’s involvement, perhaps in development support, but also in getting them to Game Pass. Microsoft Gaming could even intervene to bring these games to Xbox.
An extra factor when it comes to these multiplatform titles is that Microsoft is planning to launch their own mobile storefront as well. Microsoft’s mobile library would immediately be boosted with these three new games coming in, on top of all the mobile games they now own thanks to their Activision Blizzard King deal.
Project Mugen is another such upcoming NetEase title, but that open world fantasy free-to-play title was announced for PlayStation, as well as mobile and PC. It’s possible that Sony is already bankrolling its production, and it isn’t likely for NetEase to switch platforms and financial backers for that title.
NetEase’s deal with Blizzard and Microsoft Gaming has to be seen as only one of many partnerships for the conglomerate, but one that could still yield them many exclusives, and if not, just a lot more popular titles to make money with in the near future.
