Diablo Immortal delayed in China; Social Media account banned

[Delekii]

This is so god damn funny it deserves its own thread; if it turns out to be true it's going to be spectacular!

https://www.polygon.com/23176668/dia...cial-media-ban

There are a large number of corroborating sources, I just picked the first one I saw searching google.

What absolutely has happened is:
Diablo Immortal's release has been delayed in China, a couple of days after its Weibo account was outright banned. Weibo is similar to Twitter in China; one of the primary ways for people to communicate (including companies to talk to customers). The stated reason for the ban was "violation of related laws and regulations". Needless to say, China's government has a massive finger in the pie when it comes to decisions and regulation in Chinese media, including Weibo directly.

What is educated guesswork but likely has happened is:
The game had previously received a license to operate in China that has since been functionally revoked, with requirements to rein in the worst offending parts of the monetization of the game. Clearly, we have no idea of how much of it is a problem or what the required solutions are.

Needless to say, Diablo Immortal was created almost entirely with the goal of milking the absurd mobile gaming market that exists there, so for the game to be banned in that market would be an outright catastrophe for Blizzard. The fact that DI is so bad that it even raises eyebrows in that market is truly a great commentary of how bad it is. One of the most common reactions when people complain about the monetization is "its a mobile game, what did you expect!!?!?onbeone", but it's not just a mobile game.

The more likely outcome is that Blizzard will make changes to the game to meet regulations, but at the very least it will lead to a delay and some sort of reduction in monetization for the game in the Chinese Market, and a hit to the game's potential profitability.

[loras]

This is so god damn funny it deserves its own thread; if it turns out to be true it's going to be spectacular!

https://www.polygon.com/23176668/dia...cial-media-ban

There are a large number of corroborating sources, I just picked the first one I saw searching google.

What absolutely has happened is:
Diablo Immortal's release has been delayed in China, a couple of days after its Weibo account was outright banned. Weibo is similar to Twitter in China; one of the primary ways for people to communicate (including companies to talk to customers). The stated reason for the ban was "violation of related laws and regulations".

What is educated guesswork but likely has happened is:
The game had previously received a license to operate in China that has since been functionally revoked, with requirements to rein in the worst offending parts of the monetization of the game. Clearly, we have no idea of how much of it is a problem or what the required solutions are.

Needless to say, Diablo Immortal was created almost entirely with the goal of milking the absurd mobile gaming market that exists there, so for the game to be banned in that market would be an outright catastrophe for Blizzard. The fact that DI is so bad that it even raises eyebrows in that market is truly a great commentary of how bad it is. One of the most common reactions when people complain about the monetization is "its a mobile game, what did you expect!!?!?onbeone", but it's not just a mobile game.

The more likely outcome is that Blizzard will make changes to the game to meet regulations, but at the very least it will lead to a delay and some sort of reduction in monetization for the game in the Chinese Market, and a hit to the game's potential profitability.

It's not the first time China has reined in malformed excesses of the "free" markets before, whereas we in the west have sadly been too spineless to do so effectively.

What an odd world, where a communistic regime does a better job at managing markets towards genuine productivity than the self-proclaimed champions of the free market.

(the other case i am referring to mainly revolves around their comments regarding housing, specifically something along the lines of "They are not meant for speculation, they are meant for living in")

Doesn't make me like them, but it does do good for their relative standing.

[Merie]

When even the Communist Party is able to take the moral highground on you, you probably done F'd up.

[Inoculate]

When even the Communist Party is able to take the moral highground on you, you probably done F'd up.

When even China has better abortion options.

[blackbird1205]

I read of rumours that somebody, who has access to diablo immortals social media account posted a bad joke about xi jinping and thats why it got banned. Thre rumours even go the extend that netease is apparently banned for three years in terms of getting a licence to release a game in china.

Without guarantee, just read that on reddit where someone posted it.

[Ragu4]

When even China has better abortion options.

Huh? If by better you mean birthing then throwing the baby in a river, then I guess so.

[Zardas]

For once, Xi Jinping horrible anti-democratic policies are headed in the right direction, just a lucky coincidence but I'll gladly take it.

[Nymrohd]

Huh? If by better you mean birthing then throwing the baby in a river, then I guess so.

China is one of the countries were abortion is fully legal.

[tikcol]

Didn't the official diablo account on weebo make a joke regarding xi jinpimgping referencing a bear? You know, that animated bear that looks like him

[kranur]

When even the Communist Party is able to take the moral highground on you, you probably done F'd up.

Except they didn't do it for morality, but because someone made a joke that is offensive to their president and they basically wanted to show them who's boss and what is not allowed to do lol.
If anything they just did the opposite of moral highground haha, even though the results are amazing for the people who don't support the ripoff practices.

[SinR]

Didn't the official diablo account on weebo make a joke regarding xi jinpimgping referencing a bear? You know, that animated bear that looks like him

Bing... Chillin?

[Beefhammer]

It's not the first time China has reined in malformed excesses of the "free" markets before, whereas we in the west have sadly been too spineless to do so effectively.

What an odd world, where a communistic regime does a better job at managing markets towards genuine productivity than the self-proclaimed champions of the free market.

(the other case i am referring to mainly revolves around their comments regarding housing, specifically something along the lines of "They are not meant for speculation, they are meant for living in")

Doesn't make me like them, but it does do good for their relative standing.

DI is like the first game in a year that Netease got a license for. Tencent is in the same boat. The license being suspended isn't likely due to monetization, but rather a Netease employee making the Winnie the Pooh comment, which got the Weibo account suspended.

[uuuhname]

When even the Communist Party is able to take the moral highground on you, you probably done F'd up.

state capitalist, and I still won't give them too much credit here.... I mean I don't see them banning Genshin Impact.

[Beefhammer]

Didn't the official diablo account on weebo make a joke regarding xi jinpimgping referencing a bear? You know, that animated bear that looks like him

Yup. Recently read the DI release date in China was pushed back to July 7.

- - - Updated - - -

state capitalist, and I still won't give them too much credit here.... I mean I don't see them banning Genshin Impact.

People's rage boners for Blizzard is clouding their judgement once again.

[uuuhname]

People's rage boners for Blizzard is clouding their judgement once again.

in this very specific case, sure.

[Yayeet]

This is so god damn funny it deserves its own thread; if it turns out to be true it's going to be spectacular!

https://www.polygon.com/23176668/dia...cial-media-ban

There are a large number of corroborating sources, I just picked the first one I saw searching google.

What absolutely has happened is:
Diablo Immortal's release has been delayed in China, a couple of days after its Weibo account was outright banned. Weibo is similar to Twitter in China; one of the primary ways for people to communicate (including companies to talk to customers). The stated reason for the ban was "violation of related laws and regulations". Needless to say, China's government has a massive finger in the pie when it comes to decisions and regulation in Chinese media, including Weibo directly.

What is educated guesswork but likely has happened is:
The game had previously received a license to operate in China that has since been functionally revoked, with requirements to rein in the worst offending parts of the monetization of the game. Clearly, we have no idea of how much of it is a problem or what the required solutions are.

Needless to say, Diablo Immortal was created almost entirely with the goal of milking the absurd mobile gaming market that exists there, so for the game to be banned in that market would be an outright catastrophe for Blizzard. The fact that DI is so bad that it even raises eyebrows in that market is truly a great commentary of how bad it is. One of the most common reactions when people complain about the monetization is "its a mobile game, what did you expect!!?!?onbeone", but it's not just a mobile game.

The more likely outcome is that Blizzard will make changes to the game to meet regulations, but at the very least it will lead to a delay and some sort of reduction in monetization for the game in the Chinese Market, and a hit to the game's potential profitability.

You're literally leaving out why the account got banned:

Someone flamed Xi Jingping on the official weibu account, that's the reason why, not because it's pay to win, those game practices are fairly standard in China.

[Beefhammer]

in this very specific case, sure.

In most cases regarding Blizzard. You are not not new here.

- - - Updated - - -

You're literally leaving out why the account got banned:

Someone flamed Xi Jingping on the official weibu account, that's the reason why, not because it's pay to win, those game practices are fairly standard in China.

OP confused by violation of related laws and regulations. Because it has to be because of predatory monetization, ignoring all the similarly egregious game still being around in China, and not violating the laws about respecting God emperor Xi.

[uuuhname]

In most cases regarding Blizzard. You are not not new here.

dude, I started posting on these boards as a result of the sexual harassment case being brought to public attention. nothing Activision-Blizzard has done in the wake of that has earned them one damn iota of the benefit of the doubt, much less praise for ANYTHING they do.

[Beefhammer]

dude, I started posting on these boards as a result of the sexual harassment case being brought to public attention. nothing Activision-Blizzard has done in the wake of that has earned them one damn iota of the benefit of the doubt, much less praise for ANYTHING they do.

And in that year you have seen more than enough hyperbole a faux outrage from people on this board to know this is just one of many, will hate more just becasue it is Blizzard, topics.

[DingDongKing]

How does the game made for the Chinese audience get banned in China...