NetEase Connect, the company’s gaming showcase, will be returning for 2023 on May 20, with a number of new titles set to be revealed.
The showcase will be themed after the concept “Game on!” and will include more insights into the company’s ambitions in the near-future. According to NetEase, 19 games will be showcased, with at least five being all-new, as yet unrevealed titles. The titles being showcased are to include Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, a soon-to-be-released CCG based on the book and movie series, updates for Dead by Daylight Mobile and more info on console and PC upcoming release Naraka: Bladepoint.
In a touch of Hollywood glamour the event will also include appearances by renowned composers Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazzaro. Different development teams will also provide their insights on the titles involved, amounting to the usual action-packed showcase for NetEase.
Big events, big hype
Given the difficulties faced by NetEase and fellow companies like Tencent, especially with regards to their most recent breakup with Blizzard, these showcases are be an important step towards spreading the good news and raising their game. Their international expansion comes as a result of stifling domestic restrictions that make it difficult to implement government guidelines in a timely and cost-effective manner. This sort of PR assault allows the industry to refocus on what really matters – the games.
Although some may wonder at the idea of major showcases which echo physical events in a digital age, it’s clear NetEase want to capture some of the glitz and glamour. With the death of E3 earlier this year, many individual showcases such as Sony’s State of Play have taken the forefront. And it seems that NetEase also wants to serve up a similar buzz with their own showcase.
The event can be watched on NetEase’s official Facebook, Twitch and Youtube channels in both English and Japanese on Saturday, May 20 at 10:30am PT / 1:30 EDT / 6:30pm UK