They have the right to do this, of course, just as I have the right to cease buying their products. Which I will. I am truly saddened by this turn of events: I have been playing Blizz games literally since the inception of the company. But this craven prostration before tyranny disgusts me.
Banned the player, revoked the prize money that he had just won, and banned the two casters who were interviewing him basically just for being in the room. As disgusting as the NBA situation has been over the last few days, this is another order of magnitude worse.
South Park also has the best timing ever, as if we didn’t know that already.
Seriously. The repression of speech on behest of the Chinese government in exchange for dollars is just gross to me.
I literally play Hearthstone every day. I watch Grandmasters on weekends. I buy the expansion packs.
I think I’m done.
This is picking up momentum in the overwatch and wow communities too.
Why is the games/tech industry completely free of any moral or ethical values?
As opposed to the oil and gas industry, pharmaceuticals, banking, and sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, and FIFA? :)
Actually, I guess the NBA is changing tack a bit since yesterday.
Or any other entertainment industry, for that matter.
“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 (…)”
Oh, the sweet irony!
They don’t pretend to have values though do they. The average banker doesn’t have a socmedia profile loaded with social justice causes, nor slogans or mantras about doing the right thing and not bring evil. Perhaps I just expect more from an industry run by Gen X, Millennials and Zoomers.
What happened with NBA?
Also Gen X and Millennials like their money as much as the previous generations.
The GM for Houston made a comment about Hong Kong, China went apeshit and banned anything Houston Rockets-related from the internet, and the NBA promptly threw him under the bus and kowtowed. As of this morning it looks like the NBA is changing course a bit, so China has retaliated by blocking all NBA preseason games.
Not that I play much of anything these days but I am done with Blizzard until they change their tune.
Blizzard wants, nay, needs that sweet Chinese money. Why won’t you selfish gamers think of Blizzard’s plight?
Seriously though, this sucks.
If you haven’t yet, go watch the new South Park episode about China. It’s brutal.
Would you say it’s reeducation camps kind of brutal or more of a harvesting organs from minorities kind of brutal?
“Look kids, the PC babies aren’t even crying about this. And they cry about everything.”
This truly is a “hold my beer” moment.
Indeed.
Why not both?