J. Allen Brack: Regarding Last Weekend’s Hearthstone Grandmasters Tournament

[Archibalde]

It's a catch all. People don't want to see that type of thing when they tune in to watch a competition broadcast, therefore it negatively impacts Blizzards image.

Also it sets precedence for others using blizzard broadcasts as a political platform. Don't come crying when they let Blitz off with nothing and the next guy uses it to talk about the Alt-Right or some other nonsense. All that person would need to do is get a contract lawyer and he could use that as a case study to say that Blizzard breached the contract because the let Blitz off.

Ah, yes... because Blizzard's image is pristine right now for their knee-jerk reaction and total silence for almost a week. It's pretty easy to draw a line. One person standing up to obvious, visible oppression is not a slippery slope. And even if it was, you know what's a good way to stop that from happening again? A warning. Saying that politics need to stay out of the interviews next time. That way Blizzard would have shown that they will not accept that kind of behavior, but they also wouldn't have been trying to silence anyone. Their bullshit message wouldn't be an obvious lie.

Instead, they decided to make an example out of someone and sided against human rights in the process, like a bunch of cowards.

[Sughs]

No apologize, really?

Blizzard keeps digging it's own grave.

[Onikaroshi]

Ah, yes... because Blizzard's image is pristine right now for their knee-jerk reaction and total silence for almost a week. It's pretty easy to draw a line. One person standing up to obvious, visible oppression is not a slippery slope. And even if it was, you know what's a good way to stop that from happening again? A warning. Saying that politics need to stay out of the interviews next time. That way Blizzard would have shown that they will not accept that kind of behavior, but they also wouldn't have been trying to silence anyone. Their bullshit message wouldn't be an obvious lie.

Instead, they decided to make an example out of someone and sided against human rights in the process, like a bunch of cowards.

You see it as "siding against human rights", I see it as breach of contract, which it is. You don't "slap someone on the wrist" for breach of contract, or it could negatively impact ALL your contracts. Part of holding a contract is enforcing that contract, if you don't it can be used against you, it's basic contract law.

[dragnipur]

No apologize, really?

Blizzard keeps digging it's own grave.

Yea they just keep talking bulshit to the west.This is one huge PR disaster.

[Onikaroshi]

No apologize, really?

Blizzard keeps digging it's own grave.

nothing to apologize for, man breaks contract, blizzard responds. They didn't even need to go so far as lowering the punishment.

Hell, Blitz even KNEW he was breaking his contract

[Kallisto]

https://9gag.com/gag/a858r8V

Looks like last year's Diablo fiasko was not enough for Blizzard.
“We express our strong indignation [or resentment] and condemnation of the events that occurred in the Hearthstone Asia Pacific competition last weekend and absolutely oppose the dissemination of personal political ideas during any events [or games]. The players involved will be banned, and the commentators involved will be immediately terminated from any official business. Also, we will protect [or safeguard] our national dignity [or honor].”

https://9gag.com/gag/a7wM5Ew

A netease post on weibo.

Weibo that always edits posts that adds "China number 1." style posts and other pro China edits.

Quite frankly anyone taking anything from the weibo post with any value doesn't understand (or more likely doesn't care since they're just after Internet points) that nothing on there should be taken even 1% seriously when outside of PRC.

[Heladys]

Didn't care then, don't care now.

[Onikaroshi]

A netease post on weibo.

Weibo that always edits posts that adds "China number 1." style posts and other pro China edits.

Quite frankly anyone taking anything from the weibo post with any value doesn't understand (or more likely doesn't care since they're just after Internet points) that nothing on there should be taken even 1% seriously when outside of PRC.

It's almost like a Chinese company (netease) HAS to please China :P

[Goradan]

TAIWAN NUMBER 1!

It's time to troll China and all those that cuck down to them.

[GMZohar1]

So blizz bans the guy and they support communism, now they pretty much take it all back and they are sell outs now? Lol people are stupid... Yeah Diablo Immortal was annoying, yeah Bfa sucks.. Stop making up reasons to hate blizzard when Immortal and Bfa are 2 perfectly good reasons to hate them.

[Onikaroshi]

So blizz bans the guy and they support communism, now they pretty much take it all back and they are sell outs now? Lol people are stupid... Yeah Diablo Immortal was annoying, yeah Bfa sucks.. Stop making up reasons to hate blizzard when Immortal and Bfa are 2 perfectly good reasons to hate them.

BfA is at least showing signs of improvement, after a year gone about I was pleasantly surprised with the Essences and lack of yo-yoing on Azerite traits. Beginning to wonder if Immortal will ever come out though, been preregistered for ages. At this rate Black Desert Mobile is going to come out first.

[LorDC]

Blizzard definitely screwed up with their initial overreaction and not releasing this statement sooner but I think a lot of people don't understand that blitzchnung's ban was unavoidable.
Why? Because allowing any non-game-related agenda (not necessarily political) on a sport event is a can of worms you don't want to open. And it doesn't matter how noble the cause is.
Allowing it even a single time just paves way for more. There are a lot of people with opinions out there. And who would not be tempted to broadcast them on stream watched by hundreds of thousands of people? You don't need a degree in psychology to see where this goes.
End result? Every Blizzard event turned into a political shitshow. And guess what? People watch e-sports to watch e-sports and not whatever agenda player or broadcaster wants to bring up. This agenda being noble and righteous doesn't really matter much. Oh, and e-sports sponsors won't like it either.
So, asking Blizzard to apologize and rescind bans or saying that they shouldn't have issued bans in first place is more or less equivalent of asking them to kill their e-sports division.
And unless you are posting on this forum from Hong-Kong streets I don't think you have any right to demand such sacrifices from other people of companies.

[Prokne]

To all those people who are saying he violated a rule, so he deserved it, here is the rule:

Rule 6.1, which reads:

Engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages Blizzard image will result in removal from Grandmasters and reduction of the player’s prize total to $0 USD, in addition to other remedies which may be provided for under the Handbook and Blizzard’s Website Terms.

Without even considering that the application of the rule it subjective to "Blizzard's sole discretion" that its image has been damaged, the only reason this could happen is because Chinese communists who want to oppress Hong Kong are angry or offended by it. They are the only "group of the public" that would be offended by someone showing support for people fighting to keep their freedom. So no matter what Blizzard says, the decision was made because it made them look bad in China.

[Loveletters]

You see it as "siding against human rights", I see it as breach of contract, which it is. You don't "slap someone on the wrist" for breach of contract, or it could negatively impact ALL your contracts. Part of holding a contract is enforcing that contract, if you don't it can be used against you, it's basic contract law.

lol what a joke. "I know you guys care about human rights and all, but there are contracts being breached out there! We gotta protect them!". this is the type of person who would've complained about Rosa Parks breaking a racial segregation law.

[Onikaroshi]

lol what a joke. "I know you guys care about human rights and all, but there are contracts being breached out there! We gotta protect them!". this is the type of person who would've complained about Rosa Parks breaking a racial segregation law.

There's a platform to speak out, a time, and a place. On someone else's stream, during a gaming competition is not it. Blitzchung KNEW he was breaking contract, he has said as much, he just didn't think the punishment would be so severe.

[Zka]

It's ok to disallow political topics. But it still comes across as if you were censoring the guy and supporting a dictatorship. Well I guess if enough people cancel their acc over this, they will finally grow a brain.

[Onikaroshi]

To all those people who are saying he violated a rule, so he deserved it, here is the rule:

Rule 6.1, which reads:

Engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages Blizzard image will result in removal from Grandmasters and reduction of the player’s prize total to $0 USD, in addition to other remedies which may be provided for under the Handbook and Blizzard’s Website Terms.

Without even considering that the application of the rule it subjective to "Blizzard's sole discretion" that its image has been damaged, the only reason this could happen is because Chinese communists who want to oppress Hong Kong are angry or offended by it. They are the only "group of the public" that would be offended by someone showing support for people fighting to keep their freedom. So no matter what Blizzard says, the decision was made because it made them look bad in China.

Or the thousands of people watching who don't want politics in their game stream, I for one would rather it be left out because we watch that kind of thing to ESCAPE from the real world BS.

[DesoPL]

This answer is full of crap seriously.

Blizzcon 2018: Don't you have guys phones?
Blizzcon 2019: Don't you have guys communism?
Blizzcon 2020: Guys?

All i have to say.

[Pheraz]

The same would happen to one if he would do this on a soccer/foodball game.or whatever sport game. Grow up kids

[Harbour]

Why did he put three dots in the beginning? To underline he despises the community?