Blizzard cuts off Iranian access to World of Warcraft

[Deleted]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19399375

Blizzard cuts off Iranian access to World of Warcraft

[Fmp]

It was a while ago.

[nachoo]

but why? /10 chars

[Kritkin]

1. Old news

2. It wasn't blizzard. Economic sanctions prevented them from legally doing any kind of business with anyone there. If you are gonna blame anyone, blame the US government and the Iranian government for being unable to resolve issues and lift the economic sanctions

[reohh]

Its because of US laws. It wasn't their choice

[Melkandor]

but why? /10 chars

Did you read the article? It was because of US law

[Saffa]

As the blue post in WoW forums stated some days ago, Blizz have to follow USA laws, and there are trade sanctions in place against Iran. Cannot link the post or the various threads about it as WoW is offline atm, but it happened after maintenance a week ago. Also, some sites are blocked by the Iranian government as their version of Islam forbids something that promotes superstition and fantasy *cough*.

[logobola]

Yep, something that happens from time to time with industries and the world politics. Back in 2004ish company I worked for had to cut off inter-carrier text messaging to Iraq for about a year or so.

[xezar]

But Blizzard/Activision has French owners do they not? Vivendi or whatever, unless the French still kowtow to the US.

[Greyarea]

But Blizzard/Activision has French owners do they not? Vivendi or whatever, unless the French still kowtow to the US.

Trade sanctions are international, otherwise what's the point on imposing them?

[xezar]

Trade sanctions are international, otherwise what's the point on imposing them?

I dunno, the rest of the world has nothing against trading with Cuba or vacationing there, looks like they don't care about some lame US policy. Though I will agree Iran is a bit more...fanatical in their general hatred against the US.

[Greyarea]

It also depends on the US's tade partners and what pressure they can exert on them to follow suit.

[Deleted]

check here:
(mmo-champion.com/threads/1188121-Iranians-shut-out-of-World-of-Warcraft-U-S-rules-cited)

[kel]

check here:
(mmo-champion.com/threads/1188121-Iranians-shut-out-of-World-of-Warcraft-U-S-rules-cited)

why would you need to make yet another thread about this?

[Darsithis]

why would you need to make yet another thread about this?

To be fair, it's an update to the situation, clarifying that Blizzard doesn't have to block access.

[GKLeatherCraft]

To be fair, it's an update to the situation, clarifying that Blizzard doesn't have to block access.

That's not what it says at all, a quote from the Treasury department says

“Clearly the focus of our sanctions is not on video games,” U.S. Treasury spokesman John Sullivan said. “We would consider a license request from Blizzard Entertainment should they choose to apply for one.”

So, yes, they -do- have to block access, but they have the right to apply for a license, even that isn't 100% guaranteed, highly likely they would get it though

[Darsithis]

That's not what it says at all, a quote from the Treasury department says

“Clearly the focus of our sanctions is not on video games,” U.S. Treasury spokesman John Sullivan said. “We would consider a license request from Blizzard Entertainment should they choose to apply for one.”

So, yes, they -do- have to block access, but they have the right to apply for a license, even that isn't 100% guaranteed, highly likely they would get it though

Then that means they don't have to. Obviously they're complying, but they could get a license for it and restore access.

[GKLeatherCraft]

Then that means they don't have to. Obviously they're complying, but they could get a license for it and restore access.

No, it means they do have too, currently, they have too, that's the issue here, if and when Blizz apply for a license that hopefuly gets passed then they wont have too

[Deleted]

1. Old news

2. It wasn't blizzard. Economic sanctions prevented them from legally doing any kind of business with anyone there. If you are gonna blame anyone, blame the US government and the Iranian government for being unable to resolve issues and lift the economic sanctions

As the blue post in WoW forums stated some days ago, Blizz have to follow USA laws, and there are trade sanctions in place against Iran. Cannot link the post or the various threads about it as WoW is offline atm, but it happened after maintenance a week ago. Also, some sites are blocked by the Iranian government as their version of Islam forbids something that promotes superstition and fantasy *cough*.

Check this out:

TEHRAN -- Iranians have scaled back as their economy is squeezed by Western sanctions, scrimping on meat and cutting down on small luxuries.

But now those pressures have intruded on a world that once seemed safe from geopolitical wrangling: an online fantasy realm of goblins, dragons and warlocks enjoyed by more than 9 million paying subscribers around the world.

Sanctions by the United States, it seems, have hit "World of Warcraft."
Iranian gamers took to the "World of Warcraft" message board this week, complaining that they had been shut out of the online game. “Well, as if life of an Iranian couldn't get worse, the Battle.net became completely inaccessible as of today,” one "World of Warcraft" fan wrote in frustration.

Another lamented, “Well we had a good run, Goodbye cruel world ...”

Some speculated that the Iranian government must have shut them down, concerned that the game glorified mythology and violence. But a gaming company employee replied this week that U.S. sanctions were to blame for Iranians getting booted after paying for the game.

Blizzard Entertainment, the U.S. company behind the popular game, “tightened up its procedures to ensure compliance with these laws, and players connecting from the affected nations are restricted from access,” one of its employees explained in an online message to gamers.

The same rules stopped Blizzard from offering refunds, the employee wrote. “We apologize for any inconvenience this causes and will happily lift these restrictions as soon as U.S. law allows.”

The U.S. Treasury Department said it hadn't asked Blizzard to block the game and referred questions about the decision to the company. It said that Blizzard could seek government permission to get Iranians back into online warfare.

“Clearly the focus of our sanctions is not on video games,” U.S. Treasury spokesman John Sullivan said. “We would consider a license request from Blizzard Entertainment should they choose to apply for one.”
Aside from repeating the information contained in the online message to gamers, Blizzard Entertainment, based in Irvine, did not answer additional questions in emailed requests for more details about its decision. The company is a division of Activision Blizzard Inc., based in Santa Monica. It has reaped profit from millions of "World of Warcraft" players who pay a monthly fee of about $15 or are charged by the hour at Internet cafes.

Other Iranian gamers say that even though they are blocked, they can dodge the restrictions by using software that connects them to networks based outside Iran. Hamid, a 25-year-old software designer, said he had outgrown "World of Warcraft" -– once his favorite game -- but now uses the same technology for virtual gambling.

The drawback is that the software drags down Internet speed, cutting back on the excitement of the game. It can also expire or be hacked by authorities, sending gamers to seek new fixes.

Despite those annoyances, “it is no problem,” said Sohrab, an engineer and educational software salesman in Iran. “Finding a way to bypass Internet blockages is their daily routine.”

U.S. sanctions have grown ever tighter as the West tries to pressure Iran to curb its disputed nuclear program. Though Iran says it is enriching uranium solely for peaceful purposes, the U.S. and Israel suspect that it is working to gain the ability to make a weapon. New American restrictions were ordered at the end of July, adding to the economic pressures on the country.

The realization that the same pressures that have pinched Iranians in the real world could intrude on their online fantasies was galling to gamers in Iran and elsewhere.

Source:
Lost Angeles Times August 30, 2012 | 5:30 am :
(latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/08/iran-world-warcraft-sanctions-gaming-united-states-blocked.html)


my question is, why they dont ask US to remove this Ban from iranian players? o.O

[Darsithis]

No, it means they do have too, currently, they have too, that's the issue here, if and when Blizz apply for a license that hopefuly gets passed then they wont have too

I guess all we can do is wait and see if they'll apply