#How Marvel Rivals’ developer profited from Blizzard’s video games in 2024 regardless of being opponents – Destructoid

The rivalry between Marvel Rivals and Blizzard Leisure is probably not as simple because it appears—at the very least not for Marvel Rivals’ developer, NetEase.

In its 2024 monetary report, NetEase credited Marvel Rivals’ stellar launch as a key driver of its gaming division’s income regardless of the sport releasing solely in early December. The sport amassed 10 million gamers in its first 72 hours and has reached 40 million registered gamers so far.

However what’s much more shocking is that whereas Marvel Rivals is a direct competitor to Blizzard’s Overwatch 2, NetEase is benefiting from Blizzard’s video games on the identical time.

Blizzard’s titles helped NetEase make revenue as a writer in China

In its 2024 financials, NetEase reported that Blizzard titles have been a part of their video games division success: “Blizzard titles World of Warcraft and Hearthstone continued to generate sturdy enthusiasm from the Chinese language gaming group, whereas the return of Overwatch 2 on February 19, 2025, additional fueled gamers’ ardour.”

NetEase has been Blizzard’s official writer in China since April 9, 2024, following a renewed publishing settlement. This implies NetEase will get paid by Blizzard, almost certainly together with income share, for making its video games accessible to gamers in China. Whereas it’s unclear how a lot of an impression this partnership actually has on NetEase’s financials, it was sufficient for them to focus on it.

This marked a turnaround of their relationship, as Blizzard had withdrawn from the Chinese language market in January 2023, refusing to resume its contract with NetEase.

Nonetheless, when Microsoft finalized its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October 2023, the dynamic shifted. By April 2024, Blizzard and NetEase had reached a brand new settlement, restoring their partnership.

Blizzard’s video games returned to China after a protracted absence—Hearthstone went dwell once more in September 2024, whereas World of Warcraft relaunched on August 1, 2024.

However Blizzard is feeling the strain from Marvel Rivals

Regardless of NetEase benefiting from each Marvel Rivals and Blizzard video games, Blizzard’s Overwatch group is feeling the warmth.

With Marvel Rivals’ gameplay drawing direct comparisons to Overwatch 2 and its instantaneous success, Overwatch director Aaron Keller admitted that his group is underneath inside strain because of the new competitors, in keeping with GamesRadar.

Nonetheless, even with sturdy monetary outcomes, NetEase made a shocking transfer—shedding its whole U.S. group engaged on Marvel Rivals on Feb. 18, 2025.