BlizzCon 2019 Schedule and Map

[Lupinemancer]

Seems most of the important stuff takes place Saturday.
Not sure what all that "Comming Soon" business is, it might be something new, who knows.
Either way, I'm excited for Saturday the 2nd, for 2 reasons now

[Sastank]

Soooo.... new IP incoming?

New IP? Likely not. But definitely new games

[Dragtox]

nice there is a wow Q/A hope we get the hard question like last time
no hearthstone Q/A

wonder what their next meme is
you think you do but you dont

dont you guys have phone

whats next

[derpkitteh]

How do you think Blizzard should carry itself? Keeping in mind a lack of action is considered a political position aswell.

no political action at all.

and no, lack of action isn't a position. it's a specific lack of taking a position because it's not a political campaign, it's not a candidate for any political office, or a branch of the government.

it is a business, someone selling hobbies to people. no business should legally be able to hold political opinions and preach them.

[Wiedzemir]

For the same reason you are free to have sex with whomever you desire, and that does not mean that anyone can have sex with you without your consent.

They are free to choose which political issues they get involved in and which they refrain from getting involved, and it's not up to random people who participate in their events/competitions to force it on them. You can call it hypocritical, you can claim they are just business decisions intended to maximize profit, but none of those things excuse hijacking their platforms for purposes they were not intended.

Doesn’t work like that. When you create a political platform, you no longer get to cherry-pick, otherwise what you do becomes propaganda, nothing else.

[Kolvarg]

Doesn’t work like that. When you create a political platform, you no longer get to cherry-pick, otherwise what you do becomes propaganda, nothing else.

Call it propaganda if you want, but you're wrong. They didn't create a political platform. They have multiple platforms and they're all related to their games and their respective official tournaments and competitions. They might choose to use those gaming-related platforms to spread or showcase certain political messages or views, like they did some times with LGBT rights, but that doesn't suddenly make those platforms' main goal to spread political messages indiscriminately.

Their company, their platforms, their rules. They can do whatever they want, and when external individuals are included in those platforms, they are subject to rules and terms. You might call it propaganda, I call it marketing and consumer engagement.

[deepjazz]

diablo 4, diablo 2 remastered and diablo immortal and finally wow on mobile.

[Wiedzemir]

Call it propaganda if you want, but you're wrong. They didn't create a political platform.

Media platform that's used to spread a political message. How is that not a political platform?

They have multiple platforms and they're all related to their games and their respective official tournaments and competitions. They might choose to use those gaming-related platforms to spread or showcase certain political messages or views, like they did some times with LGBT rights

Only where convenient. Meaning only Western countries, China, Russia, and some other countries are outside of that political message. So it's push for political change in a specific territory.

, but that doesn't suddenly make those platforms' main goal to spread political messages indiscriminately.

Which is exactly why it becomes propaganda.

Their company, their platforms, their rules. They can do whatever they want, and when external individuals are included in those platforms, they are subject to rules and terms. You might call it propaganda, I call it marketing and consumer engagement.

Consumer engagement? When you disagree with their message they call you subhuman garbage. That's propaganda.


You, as many others, don't seem to get that if Blizzard would simply stick to making god damn games, what they did wouldn't be such a huge issue. But what happened is that they've shown that they're prepared to push their agenda to the western audience, while groveling in front of the oppressive regime that stands against literally every political message they peddle in the west.

[Nefastus]

Where is the moment the chinese "president" xingwing the pooh will talk to the masses?

"Don't you have human rights?"

- - - Updated - - -

You, as many others, don't seem to get that if Blizzard would simply stick to making god damn games, what they did wouldn't be such a huge issue. But what happened is that they've shown that they're prepared to push their agenda to the western audience, while groveling in front of the oppressive regime that stands against literally every political message they peddle in the west.

Agree 100%. If Blizzard, as an american company, will stand against the values of their home country they should just move the hell out of USA to the dreamland China. Its a disgrace to see a western company, from the most pro freedom country nonetheless, suppor the most tyranical regime this planet has ever seen. The killcount of the chinese comunist party is insane. Hittler and Stalin together didnt kill as much as them. During Mao time alone the kill count might go as high as the TOTAL deaths of the Second World War. Simply put, its madness. This is not the same company I loved since warcraft 1.

[Wiedzemir]

Where is the moment the chinese "president" xingwing the pooh will talk to the masses?

"Don't you have human rights?"

"Don't you guys have social credit?" - more likely.

[Kolvarg]

Media platform that's used to spread a political message. How is that not a political platform?

I mean, how would you even define "political platform"? They also broadcast background music on those platforms, does that mean they are a music platform and therefore anyone is free to play whatever music they want during interviews and such?

You, as many others, don't seem to get that if Blizzard would simply stick to making god damn games, what they did wouldn't be such a huge issue.

Considering how many people were accusing them of being "anti free-speech", I sincerely doubt it. People love drama and in the end that's all this was for the majority of people.

A huge international company in 2019 making business decisions with the main goal of profit. How shocking.

Look, I don't like it as much as anyone else. I'd prefer Blizzard and their games to completely refrain from politics. But on the other hand they also regularly engage with charity - which is also commercially/PR driven, and the truth is I'd rather they continue doing that, regardless of their actual goals.

It's just marketing. Ultimately they *can* do whatever they want. Of course, people *can* choose to be angry or to boycott them as a response. And I *can* think that their anger and boycotts are complete bullshit fed by equally greedy media and content creators.

[Demona3]

It is honestly surprising that there even is a HoTS Update panel. They put that game on life support and cut most development to it. This seems to suggest they at least have somebody still there making new content for it.

Considering they just announced Deathwing as next playable character, yes, there are still people working on it. Perhaps new hires?

[Kolvarg]

Agree 100%. If Blizzard, as an american company, will stand against the values of their home country they should just move the hell out of USA to the dreamland China. Its a disgrace to see a western company, from the most pro freedom country nonetheless, suppor the most tyranical regime this planet has ever seen. The killcount of the chinese comunist party is insane. Hittler and Stalin together didnt kill as much as them. During Mao time alone the kill count might go as high as the TOTAL deaths of the Second World War. Simply put, its madness. This is not the same company I loved since warcraft 1.

Having deals with, or abstaining from opposing, does not equal supporting.

Should neutral countries in WW2 be shunned for trading with Germany? Should Allied countries be shunned for collaborating with the USSR? Should Allied coutnries be shunned for collaborating with the USA after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Or for trading and/or operating in the USA during the vietnam war?

The problems in China happen independently of Blizzard making business there or not, and independently of Blizzard criticizing them or not. Choosing to remain neutral is the logical business decision. Everything else is virtue signaling and pandering.

[Kathranis]

If it's something different I highly doubt it would be overwatch 2... 2 means a sequel to the first game. If it's a new game in the same universe it will be like HotS and have it's own name. Probably Overwatch is in the title, but Overwatch: <gameplay related>.

It depends on what it is. If it is indeed "Overwatch 2" then IMO that probably means a 2.0 relaunch as a free update, with the new PvE campaign(s) as some sort of free/paid DLC. It could also just be an optional expansion that adds new features while leaving the core PVP game untouched.

[Veggie50]

no political action at all.

and no, lack of action isn't a position. it's a specific lack of taking a position because it's not a political campaign, it's not a candidate for any political office, or a branch of the government.

it is a business, someone selling hobbies to people. no business should legally be able to hold political opinions and preach them.

Ok, so if Blizzard has a board of directors that votes on issues, is it political? Because they allow women to vote, which was once a very devisive issue.

Obviously, that's reductio ad absurdum, but I employ it to make a point. EVERYTHING anyone (or any coorporation) does shall be called "political" by people that don't like it.

To your core statement though, why wouldn't companies have the right to express a political opinion? Freedom of speech allows them to. Would it then be hypocritical to make rules about politics for their users? No, they're allowed to moderate their content any way they see fit. Looking at how divisive this Hong Kong issue has proven, they're completely right to do so.

Freedom of speech does not mean people are obligated to give you a platform. It just means you can't be persecuted by the state.

I do not understand all the flack Blizzard's catching for this stuff I completely agree with any movement in support of Hong Kong, but I also completely understand Blizzard's motives in dealing with that expression. In the end, it has nothing to do with political conviction, and everything to do with dollars.

[Wiedzemir]

I do not understand all the flack Blizzard's catching for this stuff I completely agree with any movement in support of Hong Kong, but I also completely understand Blizzard's motives in dealing with that expression. In the end, it has nothing to do with political conviction, and everything to do with dollars.

Yeah, well, then they should stop pretending and engaging in politics in the west as well? Because Blizzard getting political on social issues all the time but only in the US and EU.

[Nefastus]

Having deals with, or abstaining from opposing, does not equal supporting.

Should neutral countries in WW2 be shunned for trading with Germany? Should Allied countries be shunned for collaborating with the USSR? Should Allied coutnries be shunned for collaborating with the USA after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Or for trading and/or operating in the USA during the vietnam war?

The problems in China happen independently of Blizzard making business there or not, and independently of Blizzard criticizing them or not. Choosing to remain neutral is the logical business decision. Everything else is virtue signaling and pandering.

I personally think they aren't staying neutral. Just see their reply in chinese. Blizzard appears to support a progressive agenda in the west while they praise tyrants at east. They cant lay in two beds.

I understand what you mean about countries dealing with nazi Germany or USRR but we are long past that. Also we have to consider the general public back then weren't well informed (if informed at all) about most things related to these governments. In any case I dare to say we are more civilized and envolved as a society nowadays as well, if these examples you cited happened nowadays I am sure there would be serious backlash.

I also think its worth mentioning that Chinese dictatorship is using their huge customer market as a way to force companies to comply to their will and in that way validate their government. The problem is how this will envolve in the future. We have to keep in mind their leadership doesn't think twice when it comes to massacrating their own people if they dare to disagree with their orders so just imagine what they would do to non chinese people if they actually get power over the rest of the world.

Anyways I apreciate your insight in the subject, you explained pretty well your opinion! My english isn't very good so its always nice to see a well written reply even if we do not really agree that much about the subject.

[Veggie50]

Yeah, well, then they should stop pretending and engaging in politics in the west as well? Because Blizzard getting political on social issues all the time but only in the US and EU.

For arguments sake, could you provide an example?

[Harbour]

Pray that it won't be 4 mobile titles.

[Nefastus]

Pray that it won't be 4 mobile titles.

I have to say that would be rather funny. I think this blizzcon will be pretty messy with all the issues with Blizzard dealings with China. People will surely protest during it.