Blizzard bans competitor who made political statement about Hong Kong

krooton · 9 Oct 2019 at 15:59

Surprised this hasn't pick up here yet

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...h-escalates-following-hong-kong-supporter-ban

Blizzard is facing increasing backlash following its decision to exclude Chung 'blitzchung' Ng Wai from professional Hearthstone competitions for showing his support to the Hong Kong protests.

In a video interview he gave after a win during the Hearthstone Grandmasters, Ng Wai shouted: "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age!" Blizzard consequently decided to remove the player from the event, cancel his prizing and ban him from official competitions for a year.

That is quite the heavy-handed approach, which certainly smacks of them aiming to keep their far east overlords (cash-cows?) appeased.

The backlash is real though, and to think Blizzard was one of the darlings of the gaming world.

Glanza · 9 Oct 2019 at 16:02

Blizzard only cares about that Chinese money the whole reason they made Diablo Immortal was for that market.

CaptainRAVE · 9 Oct 2019 at 16:06

Southpark's episode timing was perfection. Blizzard is facing a storm, although knowing the gaming community they will have forgotten in a couple of weeks.

Rroff · 9 Oct 2019 at 16:10

Dunno about in this case but often in the T&Cs for this kind of stuff contains things about not using it for a political platform as well as keeping racism, sexism, etc. out of it.

Blizzard's actions are a bit heavy handed but I'm not a fan of real-world politics being mixed in with gaming - it is nice when real world barriers, religion, etc. can be put aside in gaming and people just get along or at least be fractured over in-game lines rather than real world.

Omaeka · 9 Oct 2019 at 16:55

Rroff said:
Dunno about in this case but often in the T&Cs for this kind of stuff contains things about not using it for a political platform as well as keeping racism, sexism, etc. out of it.

Blizzard's actions are a bit heavy handed but I'm not a fan of real-world politics being mixed in with gaming - it is nice when real world barriers, religion, etc. can be put aside in gaming and people just get along or at least be fractured over in-game lines rather than real world.

I do agree but how do you explain the commentators getting fired for doing literally nothing

Malevolence · 9 Oct 2019 at 19:15

It's not just gaming, but didn't some basket player get in hot water the other day for saying something about Hong Kong and now Tencent won't broadcast their games.

Kelt · 9 Oct 2019 at 21:21

rubberduck · 9 Oct 2019 at 21:26

I suspect people would have a different opinion if the political message had been something along the lines of 'The EU is united - down with the brexit scumbags'... Just because it is china politics it seems fair game for getting on high horse.

Hotwired · 9 Oct 2019 at 21:28

Omaeka said:
I do agree but how do you explain the commentators getting fired for doing literally nothing

I'm not exactly against someone being done for breaking rules on using the show for political statements.

But the commentators getting fired is messed up.

Bishie · 9 Oct 2019 at 21:29

Surprised no one mentioned this:

https://twitter.com/GodsUnchained/status/1181487505180258304

agnes · 9 Oct 2019 at 22:14

Blizzard was within their right. This was a game competition. Not a political platform so it was entirely the wrong forum for it. Regardless of the cause or words spoken. It's flat out unacceptable to push your agenda on such a forum.

Obviously what is going on in China is a tragedy, no one would deny that. But my statement still stands.

Malevolence · 9 Oct 2019 at 23:33

It gets even better, Blizzard offer a grovelling apology to China.

IronWarrior · 9 Oct 2019 at 23:42

Politics should stay out of games, sports and other events, it's not the place.

MonkeyBasher · 10 Oct 2019 at 10:41

IronWarrior said:
Politics should stay out of games, sports and other events, it's not the place.

Agreed. The guy even said he expected backlash.

I would love for you to explain or justify the firing of the commentators though. You know the guys just doing there job.

Besides that one of blizzards core values is "every voice matters" its on a statue outside there Irvine HQ.
Also a massive chunk of the storylines, repeatedly in Wow are about politics and freeing the oppressed.

IronWarrior · 11 Oct 2019 at 01:45

MonkeyBasher said:
I would love for you to explain or justify the firing of the commentators though. You know the guys just doing there job.

I haven't watched the interview and only read bits in the news, but I assume they got fired because in the eyes of Blizzard, they the commentators and host should had put a STOP or cut-him off before he started to talk about Hong Kong, it's the host job to lead and manage the interview and talk.

BBC News is pretty good at shutting people down when they go off-topic for example.

edscdk · 11 Oct 2019 at 03:34

IronWarrior said:
I haven't watched the interview and only read bits in the news, but I assume they got fired because in the eyes of Blizzard, they the commentators and host should had put a STOP or cut-him off before he started to talk about Hong Kong, it's the host job to lead and manage the interview and talk.

BBC News is pretty good at shutting people down when they go off-topic for example.

Fire commentators for that? More like fear of or a request by China....

dragonslayer · 11 Oct 2019 at 17:16

The host&co were fired because they encouraged and told him to say it if you read/ watch the translated version they say " we won't stop filming until you say those words just go a head and say them then we can stop the filming go on say it" so I fully agree with others who say politics don't belong in games

I get it's a **** a in China but boycotting blizzard won't even bother China as it's not their company lol so if people want to 'help' they should either boycott China goods or go over there and march although I do find it funny how people are only just caring what's happening in China cos some gamer has been banned but they don't mind the super cheap labour and poor living conditions when it means getting cheaper products in the west

Wucked · 11 Oct 2019 at 18:59

agnes said:
Blizzard was within their right. This was a game competition. Not a political platform so it was entirely the wrong forum for it. Regardless of the cause or words spoken. It's flat out unacceptable to push your agenda on such a forum.

Obviously what is going on in China is a tragedy, no one would deny that. But my statement still stands.

So what about the casters they fired? As far as I can tell they did nothing wrong. This isn’t a case of recreational outrage, there’s real reason for this.

Also what the hell are you talking about with the tragedy BS? The 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, where apparently 10,000 people were murdered was a tragedy. Students bayoneted while begging for their lives was a tragedy. This is people fighting back against a regime of horrors. Your agenda? What agenda is that then, anti massacre? I commend him for speaking out in support of the Hong Kong protests.

Flat out unacceptable? To be frank, **** what you find unacceptable.

Malevolence · 11 Oct 2019 at 19:21

So there's either double standards going on at Blizzard or they're just racist and under the sway of the CPC because yhese guys didn't get any punishment for holding up their "Free Hong Kong, boycott Blizzard" sign on stream.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1181778525025644546

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/dghilm/american_university_forfeits_all_their/

agnes · 11 Oct 2019 at 19:42

Wucked said:
So what about the casters they fired? As far as I can tell they did nothing wrong. This isn’t a case of recreational outrage, there’s real reason for this.

Also what the hell are you talking about with the tragedy BS? The 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, where apparently 10,000 people were murdered was a tragedy. Students bayoneted while begging for their lives was a tragedy. This is people fighting back against a regime of horrors. Your agenda? What agenda is that then, anti massacre? I commend him for speaking out in support of the Hong Kong protests.

Flat out unacceptable? To be frank, **** what you find unacceptable.

I'm sorry... What? I can't even fathom how you've gotten that much anger.

Also, to note, my opinion on how Blizzard handled the whole thing has changed now more news coverage has surfaced. I didn't know about the broadcasters at the time. Blizzard are just as much in the wrong as the competitor for bringing politics into a place they don't belong.

As for my agenda??? I've not a clue what you're on about.