Olympic Council of Asia Removes Hearthstone From Hangzhou Asian Games

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The Olympic Council of Asia has removed Hearthstone from the Hangzhou Asian Games competition lineup.
02
The removal is a direct consequence of the terminated partnership between Activision Blizzard and NetEase, which resulted in the shutdown of all Hearthstone servers in mainland China.
03
With the removal of Hearthstone, the total number of official esports titles for the Hangzhou Asian Games has been reduced to seven.
04
The remaining seven titles for the event are League of Legends, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Street Fighter V, Peacekeeper Elite, and Honor of Kings.
05
Activision Blizzard and NetEase will lose potential revenue from licensing merchandise for the event, which is currently dominated by Tencent titles.
06
The management team for Hearthstone in China was disbanded following the partnership collapse, rendering the game ineligible for inclusion in the tournament.

Summary

The Olympic Council of Asia has officially removed the digital card game Hearthstone from the roster of esports titles for the Hangzhou Asian Games. This decision follows the dissolution of the partnership between Activision Blizzard and NetEase, which resulted in the closure of all Hearthstone servers within mainland China and the disbandment of the game’s management team. Due to these operational changes, the title was deemed ineligible for inclusion as a competitive event.

The removal of Hearthstone reduces the total number of official esports titles at the Hangzhou Asian Games to seven: League of Legends, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Street Fighter V, Peacekeeper Elite, and Honor of Kings. This shift in the event lineup carries financial implications, as it prevents Activision Blizzard and NetEase from participating in the tournament alongside other major publishers like Tencent and Perfect World. Consequently, these companies will lose potential revenue streams associated with the licensing of event-related merchandise.

This development highlights the significant impact of regional publishing disputes on high-profile international esports competitions. By excluding the title, the Olympic Council of Asia has effectively narrowed the scope of the games to focus on titles with stable, ongoing support within the Chinese market. The remaining lineup continues to emphasize major industry players, particularly those with established partnerships in the region.