Is OW2 no longer in China?

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Is OW2 No Longer in China?

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Yes, Overwatch 2 (OW2) is no longer available in China due to a licensing disagreement between Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase, the Chinese gaming giant responsible for publishing Blizzard’s games in the region, resulting in the shutdown of all Blizzard servers in China. As a result, Chinese players can no longer access OW2, as well as other popular Blizzard games such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Starcraft.

OW2 in China: FAQs

General Information

  1. Is OW2 allowed in China?: No, OW2 is not allowed in China due to the expired licensing agreement between Blizzard and NetEase.
  2. Is Overwatch still available in China?: No, Overwatch is not available in China, as the servers have been shut down.
  3. Is OW2 down in China?: Yes, OW2 servers in mainland China have been shut down due to the disagreement between Blizzard and NetEase.

Impact on Players and Teams

  1. Why can’t China play OW2?: Chinese players cannot play OW2 due to the frayed relationship between NetEase and Blizzard, which resulted in the shutdown of Blizzard servers in China.
  2. What will happen to the Chinese OWL teams?: Blizzard has announced that there will be changes to the Overwatch League in 2023, but the teams can still compete, with news to be revealed soon.

Alternative Access

  1. Can China play Overwatch on Steam?: While the international version of Steam is accessible in China, and Overwatch is available on Steam, the game’s Simplified Chinese localization has not led to much positive sentiment among Chinese gamers.
  2. Are VPNs legal in China?: Using a VPN in China is not officially illegal, but many VPN services are banned, and the government often threatens to block VPNs altogether.

Game Content and Features

  1. Will Overwatch 2 have blood?: The combat in OW2 is tame, with subtle splashes of stylized blood, and characters occasionally use mild profanity.
  2. Who is Russian in Overwatch 2?: Aleksandra “Zarya” Zaryanova is a Russian character in Overwatch 2.

Global Availability

  1. Is Overwatch 2 in Russia?: Yes, OW2 is available in Russia, with the game and updates localized in Russian.
  2. What country is Overwatch 2 most popular in?: The top 5 countries with the highest Overwatch player count are the USA, Germany, Republic of Korea, Canada, and Russia.

Business and Partnerships

  1. Did Blizzard cut ties with China?: Yes, Blizzard and NetEase are ending their 14-year licensing agreement, resulting in the shutdown of Blizzard games in China.
  2. Why did Activision leave China?: Activision and NetEase ended their partnership due to a disagreement over disclosures with the Chinese government.
  3. Is China trying to buy Activision?: China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has cleared Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard, although the deal still faces antitrust scrutiny in the US and UK.

Other Games and Services

  1. Can you play Roblox in China?: No, Roblox paused its service in China in 2022, although it had announced a strategic partnership with Tencent in 2019.

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