Blizzard removes HK Hearthstone Champion and takes away his prize to please China

[Puri]

I guess now is the time of PR accountants who have to estimate the damage caused by the shitstorm in the west against the expected damage from the chinese wrath. They for sure have interesting meetings.

[Kathranis]

They started censoring their game for China bit by bit.

They've always censored their games for China. It's pretty much a requirement for any foreign game to get published over there. Not just video games, but movies, card games too. Gore, skeletons, or provocative content needs to get censored to get it through the approval process (though I've heard sufficient bribes can also work).

Example: MTG does alternate art for the Chinese version of the game whenever they have skeletons, gore, or provocatively dressed characters:




If you recall back to 2009, the reason The9 lost their licenses to operate WoW in China was because they failed to get Wrath of the Lich King through the approval process, which delayed the release of the expansion indefinitely. Wrath wasn't actually approved for publication in China until 2010, nearly two years after it came out in the rest of the world, when NetEase took over operations.

Every publisher does this to get their games released in China.


Anyway, point is, this is nothing new.

[Kukachu]

The problem is Blizzard didn't react the way they did because he was using the event to politicize it. They did it because they were terrified of pissing off China.

If you think they would have reacted this way if he had spouted some pro-LGBT nonsense then you're the fucking ignorant one. Yes he was in the wrong to do it in the first place, but it just illuminates how much Blizzard wants to stay in the good graces of probably one of the worst governments in the history of the planet.

They did react that way because he was politicizing the event.

Being pro-lgbtqrsv... does not equate to being anti/pro "insert government / organization".

[Mashanerz]

I can't do much, but I can stop spending.

No more store mounts, no more subscription (got enough gold to go for a couple years), no more blizzcon virtual tickets.

Removing blitzchung's prize money that he earned and suspending him is pretty scummy...but the announcers? How do you even begin to justify that?

[Justpassing]

Pros: Bunch of manchildren applaud you but it gets forgotten in 10 days and then everyone starts bitching about LFR again
Cons: Lose billions of dollars

Hmm...

[Big Thanks]

Reddit is a mess right now

https://www.reddit.com/r/hearthstone/new/

complete chaos

[Gurbz]

Reddit is a mess right now

https://www.reddit.com/r/hearthstone/new/

complete chaos

Isn't that the default state of reddit in general, though?

[Kukachu]

Nobody is having an issue understanding why Blizzard did this. The real problem is that people think rules and money should supercede HUMAN FUCKING RIGHTS. (Hint: They shouldn't)

Rules and money do not supersede human rights, you're right. The human right to free speech however does not give everyone a free pass at speaking about whatever they want whenever they want, off the backs of others without their knowledge and or consent.

If I gave you a lift in my car and you started shouting out of the window at pedestrians your opinions on whatever, I'd ask you to stop or you'd be walking. That is not me infringing on your 'rights' that is me not wanting to be an unwilling participant, getting coerced into appearing to take one side or another.

[mojojojo202]

Rules and money do not supersede human rights, you're right. The human right to free speech however does not give everyone a free pass at speaking about whatever they want whenever they want, off the backs of others without their knowledge and or consent.

If I gave you a lift in my car and you started shouting out of the window at pedestrians your opinions on whatever, I'd ask you to stop or you'd be walking. That is not me infringing on your 'rights' that is me not wanting to be an unwilling participant, getting coerced into appearing to take one side or another.

Blizzard are absolutely taking a side though. They are taking the position that the opinions of players and casters are less important than bowing to the whims of the Chinese governments.

There is also a significant difference between a company altering their game to meet local regulation and a government insisting that a company take action against anyone criticising their country.

[Kukachu]

Blizzard are absolutely taking a side though. They are taking the position that the opinions of players and casters are less important than bowing to the whims of the Chinese governments.

There is also a significant difference between a company altering their game to meet local regulation and a government insisting that a company take action against anyone criticising their country.

Oh? Did Blizzard come out with a statement of support for China and all their government does?

Or did they just try to stop the politicizing of a game event.

[Kallisto]

Blizzard are absolutely taking a side though. They are taking the position that the opinions of players and casters are less important than bowing to the whims of the Chinese governments.

There is also a significant difference between a company altering their game to meet local regulation and a government insisting that a company take action against anyone criticising their country.

3 people vs 1.5 BILLION.

Needs of many always outweigh needs of few or one. So if 3 people have to be pushed aside so 1.5 billion can still play then that's the thing that is needed. Or should chinese people be barred from Blizzard games until they all die in a revolution that will fail?

[Big Thanks]

Oh? Did Blizzard come out with a statement of support for China and all their government does?

Or did they just try to stop the politicizing of a game event.

So...if someone said "Vote for Trump" in a cast...this person would face the same repercussions?

[Super Kami Dende]

Blizzard are absolutely taking a side though. They are taking the position that the opinions of players and casters are less important than bowing to the whims of the Chinese governments.

Actually in doing this they've maintained a neutral position, since they haven't made a Statement in support on China and distanced themselves from a Statement against China.

Distancing yourself from 1 thing doesn't mean you openly accept it's opposites. That's the problem with People today using that line of thinking.

- - - Updated - - -

So...if someone said "Vote for Trump" in a cast...this person would face the same repercussions?

Probably, they probably just know better than to do it. That and Politics within said Companies own Country probably matter much less to them.

[Irian]

Aaaand this is why you don't pander to China for short-term gain.

I'd feel much better if China's government wasn't a literal tyranny. There are things that even big businesses should take a stand against, this is one of them.

[Kukachu]

So...if someone said "Vote for Trump" in a cast...this person would face the same repercussions?

Yes. Why wouldn't they?

(Donning my tinfoil hat in preparation for the reply)

[shadowmatrix]

Why did the interviewers get fired?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1180954142396710912

[Alvito]

I guess there's no difference between NBA or Blizzard. When it comes to Chinese money they will happily sqaush any oppinions that oppose the Chinese Communist Party.

No company is going to let an individual use their platform as a megaphone. If this guy did this from his own stream there wouldn't be an issue. The good news is this guy made a huge splash doing it this way. Of course how many of the super upset people will care or remember this in a week.

[Kallisto]

So...if someone said "Vote for Trump" in a cast...this person would face the same repercussions?

Yes they would.

[Hitei]

Oh? Did Blizzard come out with a statement of support for China and all their government does?

Yes. When they labelled "Liberate Hong Kong" as "disreputable".

[Linkedblade]

So...if someone said "Vote for Trump" in a cast...this person would face the same repercussions?

But Trump is a hs player lol