Blizzard and NetEase renew East-West partnership

Blizzard has renewed its partnership with Chinese internet tech company NetEase until January 2020. 

It means NetEase will continue to distribute and operate a number of Blizzard titles --such as World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, and Hearthstone -- in mainland China for the foreseeable future. 

The two companies began working together in 2008, after they struck up an agreement to bring StarCraft II and the soon-to-be rebranded Battle.net platform to China. 

In recent years the pair finally achieved their long-term goal of simultaneously launching Blizzard games in the East and the West. 

Blizzard CEO, Mike Morhaime, says NetEase's "hard work and dedication" to the cause has always been appreciated. 

"We look forward to continuing to work closely with them on delivering even more great content in the years ahead," he added.