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

[s_bushido]

Blizzard's actions looked politically motivated and their later statement almost proved it.

Yeah, and like I said, no statement they released was/is ever going to change that perception.

[derpkitteh]

Ok you just admitted to being a backward sick fuck. People are people everywhere and borders should not dictate how we treat one another. So that just proves that like all nationalists you need to get your mind out of the 1800s

they're people, sure. never said otherwise.

but i care about my country's people over every other country's people.

civic nationalism, my country's people come first, above all others.

[Kaleredar]

Yeah, and like I said, no statement they released was/is ever going to change that perception.

Sure, but... the only blow-back they seemed concerned about at the time was from China.

[Very Tired]

Hey, at least MMO-Champ finally mentioned this story on the front page. Though, people are laughing that Blizzard's response came at the end of a Friday.


IMO, the best thing Blizzard could of done in this response was drop some big hints that their desire is to enable the entire world to play and enjoy their games, or something like that. Just hints to suggest their hands are tied but they can't outright say it. Maybe it would trick some people into believing their goals are truly gaming altruism and not their bottom line.
However, saying China had nothing to do with this just blows away any benefit of the doubt people had going for them.

[Danner]

The reply is a step in the right direction. I also believe it falls short in critical sections.

#1 takeaway: Blizzard is finally talking. That in itself is major after several days of deafening silence. Considering that the "smart" thing to do would have been to duck and cover, I have to give some props for even talking. Even if it took the better part of a week to do so.

#2 takeaway, the punishment is being reduced. I am especially pleased to see that the price money is being returned. I still feel there should be a reaction to the stunt, I have no strong opinion whether a 6 months ban is fair or not - but I can accept it. The refined action can pass as justice.

#3 takeaway is the issue I still struggle with. Statements like "If this had been the opposing viewpoint delivered in the same divisive and deliberate way, we would have felt and acted the same." is simply not believable. Right now, Blizzard is seen - rightfully so - as a major shill to the chinese government. There is no mention whatsoever of the infamous Weibo post in the response. There is no mention of the hamfisted forum moderation banning people for a thousand years for mentioning the subject. There is no mention of the fact that Hong Kong is now considered a bad word on Blizzard servers. Blizzard has in the last few days done nothing that the chinese government would not have done themselves if they were in control of the situation. And that censorship hasn't really been acknowledged.

And without acknowledgment, it cannot improve. The statement does nothing to clarify whether Blizzard is done shilling to the chinese government. Does Blizzard stand by the post made in their name by NetEase, or do they not? Is the primary Blizzard company value to defend the pride of the chinese government, or not? Does every voice still actually matter, or not?

I rate the reply 5/10. It's not terrible, but it's also not tackling the root of the issue. I am as such merely half-content. I did not expect much, but this still isn't the answer I am looking for. I no longer feel a burning desire to delete my account in protest after this statement. But I am not done with that ugly feeling I get of looking at the blizzard launcher icon. That will probably not go away.

[s_bushido]

Sure, but... the only blow-back they seemed concerned about at the time was from China.

You don't think they're ignorant to how easily online hate-trains like this get rolling...and then disappear, are you?

[Kallisto]

they're people, sure. never said otherwise.

but i care about my country's people over every other country's people.

civic nationalism, my country's people come first, above all others.

That's why you're backward. All types of nationalism is evil and leads to wars more so than even religion. Only caring about humanity as a whole and pushing full merger is the correct path.

[jakeic]

Yeah, and like I said, no statement they released was/is ever going to change that perception.

Just because the statement they released was woefully inadequate for most of the people who were antagonistic toward Blizzard in this matter doesn't mean that there wasn't a statement that would have eased tensions. Their response was a choreographed number of half-assed, non-committal platitudes that not only run counter to the ideals they're claiming to uphold, but also serve to obfuscate the issue at hand.

Unless you think this is the best possible statement ever made, then you can agree there was a better position to take.

[Kaleredar]

You don't think they're ignorant to how easily online hate-trains like this get rolling...and then disappear, are you?

If they were concerned with that in the moment, I think their response would have been a lot more measured.

Regardless. I think this will turn a lot of attention to a good issue. And it certainly isn't going to go away, especially with blizzcon right around the corner.

[jakeic]

You don't think they're ignorant to how easily online hate-trains like this get rolling...and then disappear, are you?

as we all wait with bated breath for Diablo: Immortal.

[Remilia]

So... I'm no English major and okay at Chinese(Mandarin) so long as I don't read/write it. Thought the press release was just weird so I just chalked it up to weird corporate garbage. Then someone linked this.
https://twitter.com/SGBluebell/statu...17588147052544

So... after actually re-reading it, yeah it sounds very out of place. Punted it to my parents whom is fluent in Mandarin and Hokkien, with absolutely no context and said "this is written like a Chinese wrote it". I actually laughed when I got that response.

[s_bushido]

Their response was a choreographed number of half-assed, non-committal platitudes that not only run counter to the ideals they're claiming to uphold, but also serve to obfuscate the issue at hand.

You say this as if it isn't the same exact thing people say about any other statement released by an organization like this in response to some controversy...

I don't know where this pretense that corporate statements aren't going to sound like corporate statements comes from, but it really needs to go away.

as we all wait with bated breath for Diablo: Immortal.

Well, that just proves my point, doesn't it? When that happened, the internet exploded with Acti-Blizz hate. Now it's relegated to a joke.

[derpkitteh]

That's why you're backward. All types of nationalism is evil and leads to wars more so than even religion. Only caring about humanity as a whole and pushing full merger is the correct path.

europe is a prime example of how that doesn't work.

there will never be a united global society. the best possible thing that could happen for humans, is that we eventually master space travel and separate our incompatible cultures by whole worlds.

[telygroar]

I would really like to see the same uproar for the betrayed kurds who were battling against ISIS in our stead in syria.

[Jshadowhunter]

Reactions to Blizzard response.

[Moadar]

europe is a prime example of how that doesn't work.

there will never be a united global society. the best possible thing that could happen for humans, is that we eventually master space travel and separate our incompatible cultures by whole worlds.

And then go to interstellar war.

[Kallisto]

Reactions to Blizzard response.

Half of these youtubers would make a video attacking blizzard for just saying hello because it gives them clicks. Especially heels vs crybabyface who tried to move away, realised he was financially fucked and decided to make money by acting like a raging ex lover.

[Kaleredar]

europe is a prime example of how that doesn't work.

America is a prime example of how it does.

Maybe Europe should have been a bit quicker on following the US' example.

there will never be a united global society. the best possible thing that could happen for humans, is that we eventually master space travel and separate our incompatible cultures by whole worlds.

Because people never, ever fought when they had their own countries to themselves.

While it's totally irrelevant to the topic at hand, this whole notion of "everyone would be just fine if we put them in little fenced in areas all by themselves and I never had to see, hear, or talk to them" is dangerously stupid. Because inevitably someone decides that they want that little fenced in area next to them occupied by someone else, and who cares what you have to do to take it from them? You've never seen, heard, or had to converse with them, so they probably don't deserve it, right?

[Jshadowhunter]

That's why you're backward. All types of nationalism is evil and leads to wars more so than even religion. Only caring about humanity as a whole and pushing full merger is the correct path.

You're a bloody idiot if you actually think that. Do yourself a favor and actually go read some books on nationalism.
That's why I find it laughable how EU elites in Brussels are trying to push for "European identity" and "European values". That's a fairy tale that doesn't exist. Europe is made up of multile cultures, not a single one. What sprung with the Spring of Nations in 1848 is a ginnie that can't be put back in the bottle. It's one of the reason why Austro-Hungarian empire started to collapse (apart from WW1), because only 40% of populations consisted of Austrians and Hungarians, the rest were ethnic minorities who wanted their own representation and freedom.

[Yunru]

Ok....that blizzard response. 100% propaganda lie.
This was written by a chinese and given to the Blizzard.
And i can see they want blizzchung still punished. (half a year)