Blitzchung's Ban and Blizzard's Official Reaction
At the Hearthstone Grandmasters Asia-Pacific this weekend, Grandmaster Blitzchung made a comment in a post game interview about the political situation in Hong Kong. Blizzard did not take kindly to this and banned him and the 2 casters involved in the production and on top of that removed the VOD. This is their official statement on what happened:
Quote from BlizzardDuring the Asia-Pacific Grandmasters broadcast over the weekend there was a competition rule violation during a post-match interview, involving Blitzchung and two casters, which resulted in the removal of the match VOD replay.
Upon further review we have found the action has violated the 2019 Hearthstone Grandmasters Official Competition Rules section 6.1 (o) and is individual behavior which does not represent Blizzard or Hearthstone Esports. 6.1 (o) is found below.
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.
Grandmasters is the highest tier of Hearthstone Esports and we take tournament rule violations very seriously. After an investigation, we are taking the necessary actions to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Effective immediately, Blitzchung is removed from Grandmasters and will receive no prizing for Grandmasters Season 2. Additionally, Blitzchung is ineligible to participate in Hearthstone esports for 12 months beginning from Oct. 5th, 2019 and extending to Oct. 5th, 2020. We will also immediately cease working with both casters.
We’d like to re-emphasize tournament and player conduct within the Hearthstone esports community from both players and talent. While we stand by one’s right to express individual thoughts and opinions, players and other participants that elect to participate in our esports competitions must abide by the official competition rules.
The casters were actually egging him on to say the protest slogan then ducked off camera. It's also a bit more complex than "saying that's maybe not a good thing" because the slogan is a call for revolution. In China, that isn't protected speech and is considered incitement.
Just to give proper context.
I don't have an issue with what he said, but also don't expect companies to be arbiters of morality, so it doesn't surprise me that they would enforce this ruling. It's a bummer, and I think they could have handled it better, but they are obligated to protect their investments. Blitzchung also knew what he was doing and he made the choice to violate their rules for on air conduct in order to voice his support for HK. It's the fact that he was willing to make personal sacrifice that validates his message, and amplified it.
If that's true, then lets place it in a different context:
You, a Wallmart employee: China should not take a massive shit on human rights.
Your Wallmart supervisors: We agree with that.
Wallmart CEO: You're all fired and you have to give your paycheck back to me.
Does that sound like a fair punishment? Even if you knew that your boss didn't want you to talk about said topic?
You are oversimplifying. This isn't some Americans talking in the Wal-Mart break room. Strictly speaking what Blitzchung said was illegal, because China's so-called free speech laws are anything but, and the casters encouraged it and Blizzard Taiwan broadcast it, in China. The potential legal ramifications are actually very serious.
I am disappointed by the way they handled the ban, but I am also not surprised. It was a clear rules violation, they had to enforce some punishment. Personally I think Blizzard Taiwan was overzealous in trying to distance themselves from the statements, and lighter punishment could probably have avoided much of this.
See, you seem to be living in some fantasy dream world. Or maybe you just don't have a job yet.
I can't go into work and spout out how much I despise the current US President. It's not OK. Even though there is a good chance that everyone in my workplace agrees with me, it is still not OK. Politics can lead to hurt feelings, or things much worse. It's not appropriate for me to do so, and if I did it, I would be admonished at first, and eventually, something worse would happen if I persisted.
What Blitzchung did was far more intrusive. He used his position as a HS GM to advance his own political agenda. He is dead wrong, and deserves the punishment he got. The justness of his cause is irrelevant. Tommie Smith and John Carlos lost their Gold Medals in the 1968 Olympics for making what they termed a "human rights salute". That was 50 years ago. Some people choose not to ignore history. Perhaps they will learn someday. Perhaps they never will.
First off: Telling people they "seem to be living in some fantasy dream world" is a very childish way of trying to win an argument. Doesn't really do your cause any good.
Second: Yes, he is wrong for making a political statement at a time when it's not appropriate to make a political statement. No, taking his carreer away from him is not an appropriate punishment. Just like it wouldn't be an appropriate punishment if you'd get fired and your salary revoked after saying you despise the US president at work.
His job is paid for by blizzard, because they profit in only two ways:
1) He provides entertainment to people.
2) He is advertisement for their game.
Him speaking on a political topic jeopardises both of these. If you go to walmart and don't do your job, but only damage walmarts reputations, you get fired of course. He is not losing any job, except the one he himself was not willing to do... The fact that the casters pushed him is bad though. If he clearly was pushed to making the statements, by what has to be considered Blizzards representatives, they should not ban him.
Also speaking of childish ways to try and win an arguments, where does "Fuck you and anyone else for taking Blizzard's side" rank on that list?
You're just reiterating the same point over and over and over again which I already acknowledged.
Also, how on earth was he not doing his job? He participated in tournaments and streamed himself playing the game, that's all there is to it. Saying a single thing that doesn't appease your boss doesn't suddenly mean you're not doing your job.
Anyway, I'm kind of done with this discussion so lets call it a day. At least Brian Kibler and his colleages seem to agree agree that this is some top of the art BS.
Not my point... My point is that Blizzard creates something, ergo they make the rules for it. If you participate in their tournament and don’t abide by their rules you do not get to participate anymore. So the punishment makes sense and if it diesn’t to you it doesn’t matter. It’s Blizzards choice and that’s what matters.
Pretty much all of Reddit seems to disagree with you (@ANY Reddit topic).
Most of this forum disagrees (@latest Hearthpwn topic).
Casters and pro players disagree (@same topic).
Blizzard's own employees disagree.
Just about everyone disagrees with taking somebody's career away over a political statement being a fair punishment.
Yup I know. That's why I speak up, if the majority were to agree with me I wouldn't give a crap, instead I would just let others argue about it. I don't take people agree or disagree as a valid argument for any point thought (not saying you claim it is). "Can't abide by our values" is not really correct though in that newspaper article. I also disagree that taking someones career away for making a political statement is fair punishment. Making a political statement does NOT deserve any punishment. However, the specifics matter. There is a critical difference on what you do on their broadcast and what you do otherwise. I would not say this kind of ban is appropriate, if he said it on his own stream, a TV interview run by someone that is not blizzard or in most forms. Kibler actually acknowledged as much in his statement, which I found rather well written. In fact, Kibler and I agree on pretty much everything except on how hard the punishment is. He comes down on the side of: to hard-handed, I come down on the side of: Blizzard may choose to fire anyone they deem damaging to their (nearly certainly money-motivated) goals and do not have to pay someone if they clearly only hired him to provide a positive image of the company and he did not. Blizzard esports exists to make them money and a world in which the can't make money of it is also one where one has to consider their esports not existing, which is equivalent to everyone being banned. They did not write that part in the rules for nothing, they were very well aware that they need to protect themselves, if they let other people speak on their platform. Also not saying Blizzard should punish like that at all, just saying it's their choice.
I end it here, I don't think this is going to produce much of anything. No hard feelings, from my side at least :-).
You maybe will understand while becoming a grown man leftist turd.
Ok, so in your words Blizzard-esports is no place for freedom , since thats what he practised....
Yeah im sure he need a lesson to not freely speak out of his mind. Everybody should behave as told by Blizzard/China!
Of course Blizzard esports is not a place for freedom. It only exists as advertisment for their games, it's part of blizzards outreach program and hence blizzard ultimately decides whats on it. That's why they make everyone participating sign some rules.
Guys I have a question. Based on what, do you decide, who is right or wrong in Honk Kong, and why do you think that Blizzard streams is the place such things to be decided? I as viewer of HS GM tournament, I DONT want anything not related with the game. But ok, if pro players say something interesting from their lives, it is fine. But for sure I am not on the stream, to make any judgement about HK politics and their people live. This is game with 6+ year rating. For sure, they shouldn't care about that. Blizzard is doing games, not liberating anyone. They should not take any side.... and if you don't know, that even TWITCH forbid promoting anything, which may cause violence. Twitch and blizzard games are not the place where any position on any conflict to be taken and discussed. Go watch BBC or whatever news network you like in order to be updated with HK problems, but stop transferring them in hearthpwn and hearthstone.
Trust me, that's nothing compared to the real risk to lose the chinese market. Money are there now. They would rather choose to leave american Market and move to China (where one of headquarter already is).
I fully support Blizzard here, esports (as any other kind of sport) is not a place for politics. This guy is just too dumb and young to understand it, thus he needs a lesson.
So taking the livelihood and carreer opportunities away from 3 people is your idea of "a lesson" that fits well with standing up for human rights?
How about you take your free, young and dumb ass to China and go see how long you'll last.
There is a place to stand up for human rights. The Winner's Interview after a HS match is not that place. That is really all there is to this.
If that's your opinion, fine. But no matter what, taking somebody's carreer and prize money away from them is not the appropriate response. That's not about giving an appropriate punishment, it's about scaring others from doing the same.
I don't think Blizzard did anything wrong here. Blizzard is a profit business. Staying political neutral is the key to keep its business running. I hope if a Chinese player say anything offensive to Hongkong during the tournament, Blizzard would have banned the player in the same way.
The rules has been set up before the tournament. Blitzchung should have known the consequence of his action. His goal is to draw the world's attention. And he did it.
If you are blaming Blizzard's ban, do you know that Github has banned the entire Iran, Syria and Crimea?