Microsoft, Mojang, and NetEase have signed a five-year exclusive licensing agreement for the Chinese publisher to bring Minecraft - both on mobile and PC - to China.
This will be a version of the game specifically tailored to the Chinese audience, developed by Mojang and brought to mainland China by NetEase.
Untapped potential
Originally launched in 2011 by Stockholm indie Mojang - since bought by Microsoft for $2.5 billion - Minecraft now boasts more than 100 million players worldwide.
With Minecraft so dominant in the West, China is one of the few remaining territories in which it can meaningfully expand its audience.
It is, after all, the world's biggest gaming market.
“We are excited to bring Minecraft to Chinese audiences, and expect our large online community to embrace this preeminent game,” said William Ding, CEO and founder of NetEase.
“With our deep understanding of the Chinese market and our ability to successfully launch world-renowned online and mobile games, we offer a strong platform for the introduction of Minecraft to China’s vast user base," he goes on.
"We believe this cooperation could leverage the strengths of both Mojang and NetEase, as well as provide the world's largest audience with a superior user experience.”
When exactly the deal will bear fruit remains to be seen, but it could be an important one for the future of both Minecraft and NetEase.