"FreeHongKong" is now profanity according to WoW's chat filters.

[MrLachyG]

Not a chance if you ask me. First Amendment and all. My impression was that the censorship was suggested by the CCP, not Blizzard.

I hate to break it to you… but Blizzard censoring anything in their game doesn’t violate the 1st Amendment at all. They’re a private business.

[vincink]

Not a chance if you ask me. First Amendment and all. My impression was that the censorship was suggested by the CCP, not Blizzard.

It is, because of how the economic model for authoritarian communism is defined. All economic imports, be they goods or services, are vetted by the central planning committee to prevent any non-revolutionary ideas from entering the country and threatening the old men at the top of the power structure. Among the many requirements China imposed on Blizzard, censoring FreeHongKong was/is one of them.

Shamefully, that's what China is. Some bizarre amalgamation of free market economics mixed with authoritarian controls mixed with Maoism.

[MoanaLisa]

The damage is done and this thread is going to be a constant "AMG Blizzard is China's Bitch" followed by someone correcting them that it's only in China followed by someone ELSE bitching about it, over and over and over and over

If this thread mattered to anyone that might be something. It won't matter. The Blizzard/China thing is a forum meme by this point and everything about can be ignored. Blizzard will do business in China through its affiliates and nothing is going to change that.

[aceperson]

this really isn't surprising. chinese money is huge for actiblizz

i have to wonder for how long though considering china enacted the extremely restrictive gaming policy a couple months ago. i think it's like 5 hours a week or something people are allowed to play video games.

[Kallisto]

i have to wonder for how long though considering china enacted the extremely restrictive gaming policy a couple months ago. i think it's like 5 hours a week or something people are allowed to play video games.

Under 18s only. Adults don't have the restrictions.

[Mysterymask]

If this thread mattered to anyone that might be something. It won't matter. The Blizzard/China thing is a forum meme by this point and everything about can be ignored. Blizzard will do business in China through its affiliates and nothing is going to change that.

Oh well aware and folks only care about the China issue as far as it affects them

Chinese concentration camps making a lot of the products they buy "meh"

Things MIGHT being censored somewhat so they can sell to the Chinese market "This is the biggest issue right now"

[Malania]

Chinese issues are Chinese issues. Until the people of China start to give a shit about their leadership and it's rampant corruption and abuse, it's an internal problem.

[sam86]

whenever i wish to give them chance, they f8ck it
ok i admit i'm wow addict and i need my wow fix, i still feel shame for supporting someone who does that...

[Kumorii]

China being China, what else is new?

[Malania]

whenever i wish to give them chance, they f8ck it
ok i admit i'm wow addict and i need my wow fix, i still feel shame for supporting someone who does that...

Why do you care? It's a Chinese client issue only. Countries have blasphemy laws as well but no-one crusades against that. Thread's like this are generally created by soapbox sadie's and just as quickly forgotten when the next social justice issue arises.

[Lochton]

Didn't we already teach you this lesson, old man??

https://wow.tools/dbc/?dbc=chatprofa...h=freehongkong

Edit: I was unaware that this only affects the Chinese client.

Seems you've realized it yourself. Indeed, it is in the Chinese client, which is more or less run by NetEase.

[T-34]

It is, because of how the economic model for authoritarian communism is defined. All economic imports, be they goods or services, are vetted by the central planning committee to prevent any non-revolutionary ideas from entering the country and threatening the old men at the top of the power structure. Among the many requirements China imposed on Blizzard, censoring FreeHongKong was/is one of them.

Shamefully, that's what China is. Some bizarre amalgamation of free market economics mixed with authoritarian controls mixed with Maoism.

You should read your own constitution, kind sir.
The 1st amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Blizzard as private company can restrict itself and its customers in how it and they talk and act on its property however it wants.

Added:
I would also be in my right to kick you out of my house if you refused to say: "Long live the communist party of China".
But it would be illegal to prohibit you to go out on your local American city square with a sign saying "Long live the communist party of China".

[vincink]

You should read your own constitution, kind sir.
The 1st amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Blizzard as private company can restrict itself and its customers in how it and they talk and act on its property however it wants.

Added:
I would also be in my right to kick you out of my house if you refused to say: "Long live the communist party of China".
But it would be illegal to prohibit you to go out on your local American city square with a sign saying "Long live the communist party of China".

I was referring to the manner in which Blizzard is able to operate within China. I'm not sure what you are talking about, though. I think you read into my words something that is not there.

[T-34]

I was referring to the manner in which Blizzard is able to operate within China. I'm not sure what you are talking about, though. I think you read into my words something that is not there.

You are probably right I thought your issue was with the USA.
But I don't understand what the fuss is about Blizzard and China. All US companies that do business in China are doing the exact same thing.

[Raven]

If people bothered going through files and information they would know that this is a normal thing in all games over there, if you dont make the changes that they want, your game is not allowed over there.

[Donald Hellscream]

Only if you play on the chinese client.

while still a shitty move, it is what is mandated by the chinese government in order for the game to be available in China and given China's massive population, not catering to their demands means a huge loss of market for activision-Blizzard, and since they are a for profit organization, they are obviously not gonna deliberately miss out on a huge market.

[Jamais]

You are probably right I thought your issue was with the USA.
But I don't understand what the fuss is about Blizzard and China. All US companies that do business in China are doing the exact same thing.

Because most people posting about this don't really care about any social injustice or activism, they are exclusively using it to fuel their personal hate against Blizzard.

It is not unique for this community tho, the whole west is hypocritical in that way, they only ''care'' either when it affects them directly or on the flash of the moment, because being angered gives them the sense of moral superiority and ''social ascendment''.

Notice how no one really mentions Hong Kong anymore, Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia. Watch millions and millions of football fans attend the championship in Qatar, where they will cheer on the stadiums built on blood and sweat of thousands of modern SLAVES.

I remember when Charlie Hebdo killings occured, every news outlet covered it for days, but at the same time, the massacre at the Kenyian university, where several dozens of students lost their lives, wasn't even mentioned.

I absolutely despise the regime in China, but the chinese have built an amazing bridge in my country, which has become a new landmark and connected the southern enclave to the rest of my country. Should I never drive over it out of protest?

Also, imagine being from USA and trying to hold a moral high ground over what freedom constitutes.

It is hard not to be a cycnic in this world today.

[Deadite]

In China only*

Pretty sure everyones favourite Twitch hero Asmongold had a warlock named FreeHongKong and was forced to change it.

[Magnagarde]

I want games to be completely rinsed from political references and activism; as such, I'm not bothered by this. Games shouldn't be a platform for political activism. On top of that, Activision Blizzard wants Chinese money and China is in no way forcing them to operate on their market. I find it ridiculous to blame both Activision Blizzard and China because one is a company that wants to reach more consumers and the other is a country that has its own rules for operating among its people.

WoW would benefit a lot from both the EU and NA servers being rinsed of all political and activist messages. The issue is that nobody here in Europe nor in the US has the courage to do what the Chinese did.

[MrLachyG]

Pretty sure everyones favourite Twitch hero Asmongold had a warlock named FreeHongKong and was forced to change it.

did he though? I googled it and found that he was forced to change a toon's name and he changed it to FreeHongKong... but I don't see anything about him having to change it again. I mean if he had been forced to then I would've found something on it but I didn't

- - - Updated - - -

I want games to be completely rinsed from political references and activism; as such, I'm not bothered by this. Games shouldn't be a platform for political activism. On top of that, Activision Blizzard wants Chinese money and China is in no way forcing them to operate on their market. I find it ridiculous to blame both Activision Blizzard and China because one is a company that wants to reach more consumers and the other is a country that has its own rules for operating among its people.

WoW would benefit a lot from both the EU and NA servers being rinsed of all political and activist messages. The issue is that nobody here in Europe nor in the US has the courage to do what the Chinese did.

once again, for everyone who seemingly didn't bother to read, this in no way is affecting US/EU servers; it is solely on the Chinese servers and has been that way for years now. this isn't a new thing that just happened...