Blizzard Suspends Hearthstone Player For Hong Kong Support, Pulls Prize Money

[Jshadowhunter]

A coach in Blizzard's Overwatch League was told to delete a tweet condemning the company for censoring an esports competitor from Hong Kong

An assistant coach in Blizzard's Overwatch League was instructed to delete a tweet criticizing Blizzard's punishment of Hong Kong-based esports competitor Blitzchung, according to a report from the Dallas Morning News.

[Yunru]

just wat...

I wonder how many people would do this on switch.

[Jshadowhunter]

And the rest of the Chinese population lives in prisons and labor camps, right?

I mean, social credit already exists. It's like a prison without walls.
And if you're gonna raise a child in an environment where slavery is considered normal, then the child as it grows up will not know any better and think it's normal to be treated like a slave.

[kail]

So the NBA stand behind their poeple and defend liberty of opinion but blizzard just suk ars and ban someone expressing an opinion agaisnt totalitarism and dictatur.

I guess they failed so hard in the past year that they must bow to the chiniess since they left the occidental world behind.

Blizzard has for more of a financial stake in China than the NBA. If giving China the finger would have crushed the organization, the NBA would certainly be singing a different tune.

Blizzard was unfortunately stuck with no good options. Where I fault them is swiftly making the shittiest of decisions with the harsh punishment, their silencing protocols and statements. The shit they are getting is well warranted for their shit PR moves

[Corroc]

A coach in Blizzard's Overwatch League was told to delete a tweet condemning the company for censoring an esports competitor from Hong Kong

He told he was advised to take it down. There is bit more context why someone (not blizzard, his own team actually) would advise him to do so. Overwatch league is going overseas next season and it has 4 chinese teams in it. If you say something controversial in twitter China could prevent you from getting visa on the homestand games.

[JohnBrown1917]

I'm sure they'll have a clone game to play, assuming one doesn't already exist.

This is more about denying Blizzard of revenue.

And as mentioned before, it will affect more than just blizzard.
Its a dick move.

[shadowmouse]

I mean, social credit already exists.

Sigh. No. It doesn't. It may get there some day, and Trump might get his wall some day -- but both are instances where, at this moment, what the government talks about isn't really in place.

I suppose I'm just elderly and cynical. I'm fed up with social media influencers, and the wannbe influencers annoy me even more. With that said, it irks me that this guy is being feted as some sort of bold supporter. My ass he is. He was comfortably outside of HK while the people out on the streets are the ones facing the teargas and the police. I don't agree with them, but they are the ones putting themselves on the line.

This guy, he took a minor hit that made him a social media darling, a career move that's going to take him a lot further than playing Hearthstone. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he is an amazing fellow able to play Hearthstone at an upper competitive level without playing much Hearthstone, but if I had to place a bet I'd bet he has spent much of the protests in front of a computer with a supply of energy drinks instead of being out there.

[PACOX]

Yeah but that's not the point, rule is neutral, it bans talks about it on both sides, that is the rule. Rule+Law were broken, regardless if you sympathize with the guy or not, it's not about what's better or worse or what constitutes a bigger punishment, no sane person would disagree that China's regime is atrocious and that bunch of people basic human rights and freedoms are being broken but that is all beside the point here. People are going crazy over the fact that Blizzard enforced their own rule, while if they enforced it the other way no one would bat an eye, that is called hypocrisy. He did not get banned for being pro HK, he got banned for breaking a rule that bans political talk, those rules exist for a good reason.

Also people like to ignore the fact that action was carried out by Blizzard Taiwan, which you know, happens to fall under Chinese law, so if they did not ban him for breaking their own rule they would be directly violating Chinese law so the situation is far more complex then people like to pretend it is.

And yes free speech (Which doesn't and never has actually existed) goes both ways - "bad" and "good" but people like to forget and ignore that and normally "allow" only what fits their narrative which is all kinds of hypocritical.

Chinese Taiwan...

[Jshadowhunter]

[Saucexorzski]

I really hope the Mei thing catches on, and OW gets banned in China.

Because that's a genius form of protest.

I love it and think its one of the most brilliant means to attack blizzard over this.

[Jshadowhunter]

I love it and think its one of the most brilliant means to attack blizzard over this.

Lets upload some Mei posts up here.

[Freighter]

just wat...

That's because it's an automatic system based on reports by people. If enough people report you, you get banned. I got banned for abusive chat that was overturned the second I appealed it because I hadn't actually said anything that would warrant a ban. It's a shit system and they should get rid of it.

[tmamass]

~25 Blizzard employe walk out for hong kong

is that irony that they care more for hong kong then their own goverment shitting on human rights?

[Easo]

You literally can't be a foreign company in China without "getting political".

This. As far as I remember, all companies which are big enough are supposed to have a CCP member on their local board. Totally not political at all xD

[Deja Thoris]

What, you couldn't? I could as soon as it was broadcast.
1.: Large numbers from China.
2.: There's a rule in the contract against such.
3.: Ongoing protests in Hong Kong Vs. China.

It was meant to cause a reaction be it in support, or uproar, else it wouldn't be his message to the media. He even said in an interview that it was likely to cause issues.

I think I worded it badly, "of course it was going to cause waves" is what I meant. Blizzard messed up how they handled it though. They turned it from ripples to a tsunami filled with sewage.

[Santti]

is that irony that they care more for hong kong then their own goverment shitting on human rights?

Eh, not really.

Difference being in the actions of Blizzard, not the government. Blizzard seems to bend over backwards on what China does, where as Blizzard has taken some controversial stances of it's own, like with the LGBT stuff. Although I'm not sure if it's that controversial anymore.

At worst, Blizzard has not taken any stance on the dealings of US. With China, Blizzard is a towel.

[TigTone]

Eh, not really.

Difference being in the actions of Blizzard, not the government. Blizzard seems to bend over backwards on what China does, where as Blizzard has taken some controversial stances of it's own, like with the LGBT stuff. Although I'm not sure if it's that controversial anymore.

At worst, Blizzard has not taken any stance on the dealings of US. With China, Blizzard is a towel.

What company can or would stand up to China?
As other have said China will instantly kick anyone out and steal your product while doing it.

[Jshadowhunter]

At worst, Blizzard has not taken any stance on the dealings of US. With China, Blizzard is a towel.

Of course it is. Blizzard turned out t be a massive hypocrite. "We love diversity and inclusivity... except when it comes to China."

[Freighter]

Eh, not really.

Difference being in the actions of Blizzard, not the government. Blizzard seems to bend over backwards on what China does, where as Blizzard has taken some controversial stances of it's own, like with the LGBT stuff. Although I'm not sure if it's that controversial anymore.

At worst, Blizzard has not taken any stance on the dealings of US. With China, Blizzard is a towel.

You're aware that's for the western audience, yes? You don't really see that stuff by them here.

[Jshadowhunter]

You're aware that's for the western audience, yes? You don't really see that stuff by them here.

Why shouldn't the easterners by hit over the head with the same thing?