Blizzard is adding another game to the Chinese market! They renewed the partnership with NetEase, and after that, Diablo 4 has finally been approved for release in China! This means the game is joining World of Warcraft and Diablo Immortal!
This is a really big moment for Blizzard in China. Especially since it has been a while, and it left millions of Chinese players without access to most of their games. With Diablo 4 now on the official licensing list from China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), the game can finally legally be launched and monetized in China.
A Separate Version With Regional Differences?
As we already know, the World of Warcraft and Diablo Immortal versions in China are quite different from the one we have. This means that Diablo 4 will most likely also get various changes compared to the global version. Chinese players will probably get a separate, localized version of the game.
Previous Blizzard titles in China typically get the following changes:
- A separate client (not the global Battle.net version)
- Players need a Mainland China ID to register
- Exclusive content, such as Chinese New Year events, localized cosmetics, or custom in-game events
- Slight balance or interface changes even, to fit the local player preferences
Of course, the core gameplay will be the same! But Chinese players may receive unique content that we will not get in the international version of Diablo 4.
Censorship and Regulation Changes
On top of the additional content, all games released in China have to line up with strict government regulations on content. This usually means developers have to change or even remove things such as:
- Things like Skeletons, skulls, and other violent or gory looking things (Necromancer is definitely not going to escape this one)
- Too much supernatural or religious references
- Storylines that do not align with the cultural or political views
For example, Diablo Immortal’s Chinese version already had a few changes to some visuals or specific content. World of Warcraft often has different dialogues. Diablo 4 will probably not escape the changes, given it is quite gore and such.
Will the Chinese Version Be Region-Locked?
It will most likely be locked, yes. WoW and Diablo Immortal are region-locked already.
- The Chinese Diablo 4 will run on NetEase servers, and those are separate from global servers
- Players outside of China will not be able to access this version at all, unless they register with a valid Chinese ID
- Cross-play or content sharing between Chinese and global accounts will probably not work at all either
However, now that the license is approved, Blizzard and NetEase are expected to announce the launch window for Diablo 4 in China! This will probably come with a ton of details on the price, monetization, platforms, and most likely a ton of teasers for the unique content and events.
One thing is sure, this not only brings the game to millions of new players, but also proves that the relation between Blizzard and NetEase is still going on! The risk being, global players might soon get jealous of the content they get overseas!