Fuck this. Well, canceling my wow account. Shame too as I loved classic. Fuck china and this shit stain company.
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Blizzard has removed Hong Kong Hearthstone player blitzchung from Hearthstone Grand Masters and rescinded all his prize money
- Thread starter Lump
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This is why the new South Park episode is so refreshing. Completely unapologetic.
I don't think we should go after individuals who don't want to comment. This could effect their livelihood. Expecting them to jeopardize that is a little unreasonable.
The company I work for does good work, but it is Chinese. I wouldn't speak out against this type of thing using my real name either. I have a mortgage to pay.
If he said something along those lines: "Hey I cannot get into this due to personal reasons as a Blizzard employee."
That would be perfectly fine. However, he just made a nothing statement.
Don't underestimate counter-pressure from pro-China elements. They regularly go as far as intimidation and violence against pro-HK diasporas on the other side of the world, and persuading politically illiterate public figures to treat them as sensitive, legitimate stakeholders has been part of their playbook from the start.
Saw this posted on the Hearthstone subreddit:
Brilliant. Hope these keep coming in.
Blizzcon this year will hopefully be more interesting then anything blizzard has produced in a number of years .
I can already see activision sharpening the blades
I can already see activision sharpening the blades
They think there will be no blowback. To me, this is worse than supporting Trump, and it's not even close.
The only way this stops is if Blizzard gets real and aggressive blowback, and no forgiveness if they walk it back. The level of enthusiasm which they had for this makes it where I don't think Blizzard can be forgiven for this, at least not for years.
Interesting times- like the Chinese proverb.
" no player should be punished for their beliefs "
Oh baby, watchu doin.
I see you are banned now but I'm going to entertain you for a bit...
if this was a normal sport (soccer, bastkeball, etc), I find doubtful a player would be directly expelled and banned from a tourney for a political statement. Reprimanded? Slap in the wrist? Yeah. Removed from the game and rescinded the prize? without any prior warning? I find it hard to believe.
They're already half-way up Tencent's colon with the EGS business; this won't get more than a shrug from the usual suspects.
There is much more money to be gained from China compared to the few people who will boycott them. Most westerners won't care about this.
Original Blitzchung video / statement
Found the video.
Lump, can this be added to the OP?
The exchange is in Mandarin, but you can get the general tenor of the incident. Again: even the casters were fired.
Blitzchung's statement:
Lump, can this be added to the OP?
The exchange is in Mandarin, but you can get the general tenor of the incident. Again: even the casters were fired.
Blitzchung's statement:
Blitzchung said:
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Yup. I think Eurovision Song Contest gave Iceland a 5000 euro fine for their contestants showing Palestinian flags during the finals in Israel earlier. Whether you agree with that or not, Iceland will just pay the fine and be back for next year.
Its gone far enough with all of these Western companies kowtowing to China for their money. Fuck them, spineless cowards, and fuck the PRC.
People are still bringing it up a lot. It hasn't gone down well.
I hate it when people say corps are fake woke, and only do progressive things for PR and capital gains, because even if it's true, in the end the progressive things they do help out even if a little.
But this straight out puts Blizzard in a shameful place.
Yes please tell how your characters are all progressive, but in the real world you ban and censor real people for supporting freedom.
But this straight out puts Blizzard in a shameful place.
Yes please tell how your characters are all progressive, but in the real world you ban and censor real people for supporting freedom.
This is despicable from Blizzard, and demands an immediate and all encompassing boycott of their products.
Players get caught being racist? sexist? homophobic? Slaps on the wrist, handled quietly, no fuss, get back to making us money.
A player dares to question the mighty China? Banned. Also anyone within 5 meters of him, banned. Also, the VoD scrubbed from history.
Fuck Blizzard.
Players get caught being racist? sexist? homophobic? Slaps on the wrist, handled quietly, no fuss, get back to making us money.
A player dares to question the mighty China? Banned. Also anyone within 5 meters of him, banned. Also, the VoD scrubbed from history.
Fuck Blizzard.
Glad I play Shadowverse instead of Hearthstone after this. I dont wanna support this kind of bullshit.
If anyone here likes playing Hearthstone know it's a knockoff of shadowverse anyhow and there is an alternative in the original as an option if this offends you.
If anyone here likes playing Hearthstone know it's a knockoff of shadowverse anyhow and there is an alternative in the original as an option if this offends you.
Don't forget to add Disney into the mix. All big corps want that china money
Shadowverse is indeed on good place right now, yeah I'm gonna play instead fully from now on.
I mean counting on the American gaming audience in any significant number to be on the right side of things politically isn't exactly a bet I'd take.
We'll see what people do at Blizzcon. My guess is people won't care and It'll be forgotten by then.
This is so fucked up. While I don't agree with what Blizzard has done at all, I also don't think calling them spineless cowards or screaming fuck corporations is constructive either. This is a byproduct of this globalised world we live in, and to me is a great indictment on globalisation as a whole.
I can understand why Blizzard did what they did, as potentially cutting off such a crucial market over 'just one player' (using this term for the sake of argument) isn't actually that straightforward. And therein lies the issue, why is a company having to make the choice between accommodating human rights and profit? Globalisation. That China is becoming such a major player in the game is probably one of the worst things that could have happened over the past decade, because shit like this will become more and more common.
Again, while I think it's fucked up, my issue is less with Blizzard and more the system in general. It's a bigger issue than them.
I can understand why Blizzard did what they did, as potentially cutting off such a crucial market over 'just one player' (using this term for the sake of argument) isn't actually that straightforward. And therein lies the issue, why is a company having to make the choice between accommodating human rights and profit? Globalisation. That China is becoming such a major player in the game is probably one of the worst things that could have happened over the past decade, because shit like this will become more and more common.
Again, while I think it's fucked up, my issue is less with Blizzard and more the system in general. It's a bigger issue than them.
At least, Silver from the NBA took a stance, even if it may cost him dearly.
Let's see what Blizzard will do, heeh...
Ridiculous and inexcusable decision. I'd say it's unexpected but money sure makes the world go round.
Consider me naive, but I would've thought that prize money couldn't be taken away like that... Is there a tournament currently running and they've nullified his winnings from that tournament - or is it for any tournaments he's played that he hasn't yet received his winnings?
Consider me naive, but I would've thought that prize money couldn't be taken away like that... Is there a tournament currently running and they've nullified his winnings from that tournament - or is it for any tournaments he's played that he hasn't yet received his winnings?
from what I experienced, I get prize money from blizzard before.. they paid you after some time from tournament ended.. so I can imagine he not receive anything yet from current league, and thats what rescinded.
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