4 ms·

> The real truth is that a CCP backed entity, known for stealing IP, decided to take the whole pie for itself. Not blizzards fault. real truth? if you're privy

> The real truth is that a CCP backed entity, known for stealing IP, decided to take the whole pie for itself. Not blizzards fault. real truth? if you're privy to the exact details of the NetEase' negotiation would you mind sharing? (personally I wouldn't be surprised if Blizzard wanted an increase in their cut, mistakingly believing that they had leverage in the negotiation)

sidlls 4y ago
The notion that a native-Chinese company isn't trying to steal every ounce of IP it can from foreign businesses is naive at best. One should start with the assumption that theft of IP is a primary goal of these companies and work from there.
- qbasic_forever 4y ago
  [flagged]
oefrha 4y ago
I followed the story with mild interest a couple months ago. According to insiders Blizzard (1) wanted a very substantial increase to their cut; (2) demanded that NetEase develop more of those money sucking mobile games like Diablo Immortal for them but NetEase wouldn’t see any profit from the international market. On mobile now so won’t dig up links; also some of the reporting might be in Chinese. Given gp’s post history I doubt they are privy to details, more likely a knee jerk shot given the chance.
mensetmanusman 4y ago
Aren’t you familiar with their business culture?
kibwen 4y ago
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-tencent-mmo-tarisland-is-already-being-called-a-wow-clone-by-fans/1100-6510745/ https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-tencent-mmo-tarisland-... "Chinese gaming giant Tencent recently unveiled its new MMORPG Tarisland, and it wasn't long before fans noticed it bears more than a passing resemblance to Blizzard's own World of Warcraft. Like WoW, Tarisland looks to be a fantasy MMO with an exaggerated, more cartoonish art style. There are paladins, mages, dragons, elves with an affinity for the color purple that live in a giant tree, and more. That, of course, wouldn't be enough to justify the clone label, but taking a closer look reveals that many of the game's characters and environments look to have borrowed liberally from WoW. The designs of the game's elementals, dragons, airships, and even some of the game's playable classes and races, in particular, all appear to be heavily inspired by Blizzard's signature style. The game's announcement trailer even features a dragon that looks incredibly similar to WoW's Deathwing landing atop the ramparts of a city, in a scene that is extremely reminiscent of the WoW: Cataclysm cinematic."
- blibble 4y ago
  that's... a completely different company? it's obviously a WoW ripoff but then Blizzard themselves aren't known for their originality, rather their polish (or were anyway) Warcraft itself was supposed to be a licensed Warhammer game, and then when they couldn't get the license they changed a few names and released it anyway
  - kibwen 4y ago
    > that's... a completely different company? They're part of the same company, i.e. the Chinese government. The implication is that NetEase was pressured to drop the Blizzard deal in order to benefit Tencent.
    - blibble 4y ago
      I very much doubt the CCP leadership are that invested in the intricacies of the MMO market
      - kibwen 4y ago
        Firstly, Tencent has enormous sway and many friends in the party. There does not need to be any chairman-level dictat, only the usual greased palms. Secondly, the Chinese government is extremely interested in tightly controlling the media that the people of China consume, so who would object?
        blibble 4y ago
        their main competitor (who seek to lose hundreds of millions as a result?) it's conspiracy theory nonsense I'm afraid
        sidlls 4y ago
        It's only "conspiracy theory nonsense" if one is completely unfamiliar with how gaining access to the Chinese market works. I've been involved in more than one of these kinds of operations. These companies' primary goals when dealing with American companies (and, I'm guessing, any foreign company) are: 1) acquire IP so that China can control it; 2) acquire data on users, especially Chinese citizen users, but in general all the users. The notion of "competition" in the sense you imply is at best a distant second consideration. These companies can and will subvert what a typical Western capitalist would view as their own interests in service to that, because otherwise the CCP can and will destroy them.

sidlls 4y ago

The notion that a native-Chinese company isn't trying to steal every ounce of IP it can from foreign businesses is naive at best. One should start with the assumption that theft of IP is a primary goal of these companies and work from there.

qbasic_forever 4y ago
[flagged]

oefrha 4y ago

I followed the story with mild interest a couple months ago. According to insiders Blizzard (1) wanted a very substantial increase to their cut; (2) demanded that NetEase develop more of those money sucking mobile games like Diablo Immortal for them but NetEase wouldn’t see any profit from the international market. On mobile now so won’t dig up links; also some of the reporting might be in Chinese. Given gp’s post history I doubt they are privy to details, more likely a knee jerk shot given the chance.

mensetmanusman 4y ago

Aren’t you familiar with their business culture?

kibwen 4y ago

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-tencent-mmo-tarisland-is-already-being-called-a-wow-clone-by-fans/1100-6510745/ https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-tencent-mmo-tarisland-... "Chinese gaming giant Tencent recently unveiled its new MMORPG Tarisland, and it wasn't long before fans noticed it bears more than a passing resemblance to Blizzard's own World of Warcraft. Like WoW, Tarisland looks to be a fantasy MMO with an exaggerated, more cartoonish art style. There are paladins, mages, dragons, elves with an affinity for the color purple that live in a giant tree, and more. That, of course, wouldn't be enough to justify the clone label, but taking a closer look reveals that many of the game's characters and environments look to have borrowed liberally from WoW. The designs of the game's elementals, dragons, airships, and even some of the game's playable classes and races, in particular, all appear to be heavily inspired by Blizzard's signature style. The game's announcement trailer even features a dragon that looks incredibly similar to WoW's Deathwing landing atop the ramparts of a city, in a scene that is extremely reminiscent of the WoW: Cataclysm cinematic."

blibble 4y ago
that's... a completely different company? it's obviously a WoW ripoff but then Blizzard themselves aren't known for their originality, rather their polish (or were anyway) Warcraft itself was supposed to be a licensed Warhammer game, and then when they couldn't get the license they changed a few names and released it anyway
- kibwen 4y ago
  > that's... a completely different company? They're part of the same company, i.e. the Chinese government. The implication is that NetEase was pressured to drop the Blizzard deal in order to benefit Tencent.
  - blibble 4y ago
    I very much doubt the CCP leadership are that invested in the intricacies of the MMO market
    - kibwen 4y ago
      Firstly, Tencent has enormous sway and many friends in the party. There does not need to be any chairman-level dictat, only the usual greased palms. Secondly, the Chinese government is extremely interested in tightly controlling the media that the people of China consume, so who would object?
      - blibble 4y ago
        their main competitor (who seek to lose hundreds of millions as a result?) it's conspiracy theory nonsense I'm afraid
        sidlls 4y ago
        It's only "conspiracy theory nonsense" if one is completely unfamiliar with how gaining access to the Chinese market works. I've been involved in more than one of these kinds of operations. These companies' primary goals when dealing with American companies (and, I'm guessing, any foreign company) are: 1) acquire IP so that China can control it; 2) acquire data on users, especially Chinese citizen users, but in general all the users. The notion of "competition" in the sense you imply is at best a distant second consideration. These companies can and will subvert what a typical Western capitalist would view as their own interests in service to that, because otherwise the CCP can and will destroy them.