Blizzard bans 'Hearthstone' pro for Hong Kong protest support

[Gustaran]

https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/08/bliz...g-protest/

And this happens just after "South Park" has been banned in China for a critical episode criticizing the global impact of China's censorship. You couldn't make this up...

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/s...de-1245783

[The Black Sword]

I saw one thread on the hearthstone reddit before Blizzard's response - it had pretty much no traction. Then it blows up even outside the gaming community. Seems like the Streisand effect in full force.

[ipecac]

2019 HEARTHSTONE® GRANDMASTERS OFFICIAL COMPETITION RULES v1.4 p.12, Section 6.1 (o)

Engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages Blizzard image will result in removal from Grandmasters and reduction of the player’s prize total to $0 USD, in addition to other remedies which may be provided for under the Handbook and Blizzard’s Website Terms.

In accordance with the rules. What's the saying, 'free speech has consequences'?

[darrelljs]

What did this Hearthstone dude(tte) say? I missed it, did it cross the line of being offensive or disreputable?

Darrell

[pindicator]

Hearthstone dude put on a mask and said a short statement of support towards the demonstrators in Hong Kong.

It's not the fact that Blizzard chose to enforce their rules that has people upset at them. It's the heavy handed nature that they did it in. Considering they posted a very different response for the ban on Weibo, the reasoning they gave of banning him being due to a rules violation does not feel sincere at all. They even fired the broadcast team.

[scooter]

https://medium.com/@bmkibler_5280/statem...4b4aec39ab

One of the better takes on all this and worth the read if you're interested. I don't really follow the Hearthstone scene, but as I gather, he's one of the more popular personalities around the game.

[ipecac]

They even fired the broadcast team.

The commentators knew what he was going to do, and were laughing as he did it. Of course they'd be fired.

[ipecac]

Hell, they were almost encouraging him to do it.

[ipecac]

He's getting off pretty lightly for putting Blizzard in an impossible position, having to decide between pissing off the Chinese or the Westerners, and risking much business either way. What he actually deserves is a much harsher response, but that would piss off the Westerners.

[pindicator]

I'm not trying to provoke a fight, but it seems this topic is a little personal to you ipecac. If anything this whole Hong Kong - China - Blizzard event has highlighted just how different value sets are between west and east, and having either side try to view the other's actions through their own lens is of course only going to make them think the other is wrong. To a westerner it's the duplicity by Blizzard that is so infuriating - and what caused many of their own employees to stage a walkout today.

Scooter- that's a good link and far better stated than anything I could hope to produce.