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

[GenericDragon]

Wait, I thought people were angry that Blizzard was being hypocritical by NOT banning them, now people are angry that they ARE banning them?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Popastique]

People are embracing their inner *I DEFEND HONG KONG EVEN IF I DON'T DO S**T* demon, self esteem going so high without having to do anything. Nothing new here, time will kill the whole hype though.

[szechuan]

People are embracing their inner *I DEFEND HONG KONG EVEN IF I DON'T DO S**T* demon, self esteem going so high without having to do anything.

Yet movements like Gamergate got big because of an alleged Girl Cheating on her BF that allegedly exposed those "Corrupt SJW Feminist" Video Game Journalists.

Nothing new here, time will kill the whole hype though.

I disagree, Gamergate also lasted quite a long time and drew in a lot of Controversy, This situation has reached the point where Politicians are also talking about it and has not only effected Video Games but also Sports other Various things in the Entertainment Industry.

[Danner]

People are embracing their inner *I DEFEND HONG KONG EVEN IF I DON'T DO S**T* demon, self esteem going so high without having to do anything. Nothing new here, time will kill the whole hype though.

There is one major change.

I won't be playing Blizzard games until Blizzard stops sucking totalitarian bits. I don't have a problem with Blizzard operating in china. I have a big problem with Blizzard operating as China. Until they too can figure out that difference, I will have nothing to do with them.

I am certifiably insignificant compared to the chinese market segment. I don't matter on the company's bottom line. Despite being in the 10% customer percentile that never actually cancel their subscription inbetween each expansion, I'm merely part of the statistical 0.0002% sub loss in October 2019. Maybe it is twice as large as a normal month due to the outtrage. It'll still be small. This is no Rosa Parks scenario taking down the bus company. Blizzard will go on curtailing anyone sticking their heads out, and make a business out of that. My action won't impact blizzard. But you make the world you want to see. My choice is worth something ... to me.

Blizzard lost a customer sticking around for more than a decade. They lost all goodwill they had in me. I'll miss their games, but I will find something else to do. This new arrangement makes me sleep at night; and ultimately that's worth more than money or entertainment to me. I will not be back unless something changes. I cannot stress enough how this is permanent. No Diablo 4 or new wow expansion will change that.

I make no illusions that Blizzard will even notice.

[Jtbrig7390]

Wait, I thought people were angry that Blizzard was being hypocritical by NOT banning them, now people are angry that they ARE banning them?

My issue is how they have handled everything.

They originally wasn't going to ban the team, Then they finally did ban them but it doesn't matter since the team has already dropped out and on top of that it took MUCH longer for them to do anything.

This was clearly done to save as much face as possible. Blizzard has handled all of this very poorly every step of the way.

Now they cancelled their Overwatch event for the Switch as well.

This is the Streisand effect in full force and whoever is running the show is too stupid to realize it.

[Molis]

My issue is how they have handled everything.

They originally wasn't going to ban the team, Then they finally did ban them but it doesn't matter since the team has already dropped out and on top of that it took MUCH longer for them to do anything.

This was clearly done to save as much face as possible. Blizzard has handled all of this very poorly every step of the way.

Now they cancelled their Overwatch event for the Switch as well.

This is the Streisand effect in full force and whoever is running the show is too stupid to realize it.

How do you know they were not going to ban them?

They did the right thing by thinking about it, and taking everything into consideration.
Which they should have done in the first place with Blitz-whatever.

So to recap:
Blizzards knee jerk reaction was no prize money and year ban - internet mad.
Give back prize money only 6 month ban - internet mad.
Take time to think about a new situation and hand out the same ban - internet mad.

Unless you are currently on a plane to Hong Kong to stand up for your glorious human rights campaign get over it and move on with your life.

[Jshadowhunter]

How do you know they were not going to ban them?

They did the right thing by thinking about it, and taking everything into consideration.
Which they should have done in the first place with Blitz-whatever.

So to recap:
Blizzards knee jerk reaction was no prize money and year ban - internet mad.
Give back prize money only a 6-month ban - internet mad.
Take time to think about a new situation and hand out the same ban - internet mad.

Unless you are currently on a plane to Hong Kong to stand up for your glorious human rights campaign get over it and move on with your life.

Because they didn't get banned as fast as Blitzchung was, since the Chinese branch of Blizzard was responsible for that, and since the American ban came almost a week after they pulled the "free hong kong sign" stunt they had already willingly dropped out of the tournament out of principle, so it feels like it was just an afterthought on Blizzard's part.

Also, I fixed it for you:

So to recap:
Blizzards knee jerk reaction was no prize money and year ban - internet mad.
Give back prize money only 6 month ban - internet still mad.
Take time to think about a new situation and hand out the same ban - internet still mad.

People are mad that Blizzard turned out to be a bootlicker to Chinese authoritarian government for the sake of profit, while presenting themselves as virtuous and morally superior everywhere else. That's become the main crux of the issue now. In fact, it's not Activision Blizzard alone that's having to deal with the same criticism.Ever since that SOuth Park episode things have been bubbling on to the surfuce.

And btw, not all of us are filthy rich millionaires who can fly aground in private jets (and on top of that preaching about the environment), what makes you think I have enough money to go to the other side of the world when we're just barely trying to keep ourselves stable?
Best we can do it help in any way from a distance.

[Jtbrig7390]

--snip--

You sure do make a lot of excuses for Blizzard and insult those who have something negative to say about Blizzard.

But ya lets recap.

1) The Announcers are still banned, This can end their career's and they had nothing to do with it.
2) Blizzard took a LOT longer to ban AU and yet banned Blitzchung within moments (I wounder what the key difference here is)
3) J. Allen Brack put out a very weak statement about the events and part of it even reads like someone doesn't speak native English. Also a lot of it was very contradicting.
4) Blizzard China's statement is VERY different.
5) Blizzard cancelled the Overwatch Event in NY 36 hours before it was to happen. This has caused Nintendo to allow refunds on pre-orders ( a very rare thing).

As much as you want it too the heat on this isn't dying down and even more so since Blizzcon is coming up. I will be shocked if Blizzard does a Q&A this year. After last years Diablo Immortal and now this, They would be idiots to allow it.

[Yunru]

Seems like some influencers are also quiting blizzard.

[Dhrizzle]

It's more about how it seems like Blizzard only banned them to seem fair which Nobody seems to be buying.

I thought Blizz banned them because they pretty much demanded to be banned?

- - - Updated - - -

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

At least the team got their 15 minutes of E-fame and YouTubers are getting clicks.

[Edge-]

I thought Blizz banned them because they pretty much demanded to be banned?

Yes, but the fact that they initially didn't ban them and only did so days later after much mockery about the "One company, two policies" stuff. It makes it look like a, "Oh shit, we're covering our asses" ban rather than them intentionally working to consistently enforce rules.

[Dhrizzle]

Yet movements like Gamergate got big because of an alleged Girl Cheating on her BF that allegedly exposed those "Corrupt SJW Feminist" Video Game Journalists.



I disagree, Gamergate also lasted quite a long time and drew in a lot of Controversy, This situation has reached the point where Politicians are also talking about it and has not only effected Video Games but also Sports other Various things in the Entertainment Industry.

Have Gamergate not chimed in to cheer for Blizzard keeping politics and social justice out of video games?

- - - Updated - - -

Yes, but the fact that they initially didn't ban them and only did so days later after much mockery about the "One company, two policies" stuff. It makes it look like a, "Oh shit, we're covering our asses" ban rather than them intentionally working to consistently enforce rules.

Or it could be something to do with the shit-storm making them rethink their policies as clearly a noisy subset of gamers want politics involved in e-sport events, or they thought ignoring the team would stop other band-wagon jumpers showing similar signs for their "LOOK AT ME!" moments.

[Jotaux]

Have Gamergate not chimed in to cheer for Blizzard keeping politics and social justice out of video games?

Gamergate is pretty much done, they basically won out and most video game news sites have updated their disclosure policies.

[Edge-]

Or it could be something to do with the shit-storm making them rethink their policies as clearly a noisy subset of gamers want politics involved in e-sport events, or they thought ignoring the team would stop other band-wagon jumpers showing similar signs for their "LOOK AT ME!" moments.

Except, IIRC by that time this wasn't just "noisy gamers".

This had hit mainstream news, including sites like CNN, Barrons, and major investment sites.

Stop focusing on the GG-related nonsense. That's always been a load of garbage that's never had anywhere near the influence they claimed, and it has nothing to do with these events in the slightest. If anything, the people criticizing Blizzard are primarily those that GG would hate for being "ess jay dubs".

[Dhrizzle]

Gamergate is pretty much done, they basically won out and most video game news sites have updated their disclosure policies.

Holy shit, they must have been exhausted moving the goalposts that far. What happened to them burning down games journalism, getting anything that could be considered political or "wrongthink" ousted from games and gaming media and having the women they obsessed over (the "Literally Whos") burned on a stack of obsolete games consoles?

[AeneasBK]

Holy shit, they must have been exhausted moving the goalposts that far. What happened to them burning down games journalism, getting anything that could be considered political or "wrongthink" ousted from games and gaming media and having the women they obsessed over (the "Literally Whos") burned on a stack of obsolete games consoles?

Personally I find the parallels between Gamergate and this faux outrage fucking hilarious.

ITS ABOUT ETHICS IN VIDEO GAME JOURNALISM GAIS.

[jeezusisacasual]

There is one major change.

I won't be playing Blizzard games until Blizzard stops sucking totalitarian bits. I don't have a problem with Blizzard operating in china. I have a big problem with Blizzard operating as China. Until they too can figure out that difference, I will have nothing to do with them.

I am certifiably insignificant compared to the chinese market segment. I don't matter on the company's bottom line. Despite being in the 10% customer percentile that never actually cancel their subscription inbetween each expansion, I'm merely part of the statistical 0.0002% sub loss in October 2019. Maybe it is twice as large as a normal month due to the outtrage. It'll still be small. This is no Rosa Parks scenario taking down the bus company. Blizzard will go on curtailing anyone sticking their heads out, and make a business out of that. My action won't impact blizzard. But you make the world you want to see. My choice is worth something ... to me.

Blizzard lost a customer sticking around for more than a decade. They lost all goodwill they had in me. I'll miss their games, but I will find something else to do. This new arrangement makes me sleep at night; and ultimately that's worth more than money or entertainment to me. I will not be back unless something changes. I cannot stress enough how this is permanent. No Diablo 4 or new wow expansion will change that.

I make no illusions that Blizzard will even notice.

The sad part is that Blizzard has made their bed and will not only lay in it but actually die in it. This years Blizzcon Q&A section is going to either be cancelled or a complete and utter shit show since the internet is watching and meme's will be made. The biggest problem now is that boycotts worked in the past when businesses were centralized to a specific region or nation but in the world market a boycott would need to be vast to even make a dent or even get the attention of those in the financial markets to force a change.

I am heavily anti-china as anyone will know that from my posts but outside of that this is still wrong by Blizzard and any other corporation regardless of industry because the idea is more powerful then the effect and they are losing this fight with an idea.

[Dhrizzle]

The sad part is that Blizzard has made their bed and will not only lay in it but actually die in it. This years Blizzcon Q&A section is going to either be cancelled or a complete and utter shit show since the internet is watching and meme's will be made. The biggest problem now is that boycotts worked in the past when businesses were centralized to a specific region or nation but in the world market a boycott would need to be vast to even make a dent or even get the attention of those in the financial markets to force a change.

I am heavily anti-china as anyone will know that from my posts but outside of that this is still wrong by Blizzard and any other corporation regardless of industry because the idea is more powerful then the effect and they are losing this fight with an idea.

Once the clicks slow down and the YouTubers stop milking it the outrage will probably die off. What actually is the endgame of people who want to make Blizzcon a shit-show anyway, to make it so e-sport events are also places for people to campaign for their political issues? Would you prefer separate "yay Trump" and "fuck Trump" events or should they be mixed?

[s_bushido]

What actually is the endgame of people who want to make Blizzcon a shit-show anyway, to make it so e-sport events are also places for people to campaign for their political issues? Would you prefer separate "yay Trump" and "fuck Trump" events or should they be mixed?

Just remember that wanting to keep politics out of your tournaments is inherently political, and everything will make sense... I guess...

Now that they've basically set the precedent that a player/team who does do this sort of activism during a Blizzard esports event will get a 6 month suspension, I'm curious to see if any other players will try it.

As for what the average Joe at Blizzcon will do, I'm still operating under the assumption that they're unlikely to want to waste the hundreds of dollars they spent attending the event just to get thrown out. If there are protests, it will probably be by non-attendees outside the venue.

[jeezusisacasual]

Once the clicks slow down and the YouTubers stop milking it the outrage will probably die off. What actually is the endgame of people who want to make Blizzcon a shit-show anyway, to make it so e-sport events are also places for people to campaign for their political issues? Would you prefer separate "yay Trump" and "fuck Trump" events or should they be mixed?

I want more political discussion between everyone world wide. I think the largest issues of today is the lack of caring given during previous decades, that passive nature has led to the current culture / political crisis. The other thing is that everything is political and just wanting it to go away will not help nor ease anything, the reason you are even able to respond on a internet message board is political. This also allows pressure to be put on corporate actors to pick a side which makes them have to be extremely careful which can only make better actors come out of the aftermath and if you are wondering my loyalty resides with the western world with more on the liberal world order of sides.

I do not think of a protest as a shit show and look upon it as changing the long held ideologies of the yesteryear a changing of the culture and as a minority from America this is a good thing.