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.
I didn't say anything about responsibility. I said that its hypocritical for a company that flaunts its support for 'social justice movement' to turn a blind eye towards the most basic form of justice. Plz refrain from putting words into others' mouths in the future.
So why than they should stand for whatever imaginary justice you have? And Social justice movement has nothing to do with riots and violence. SJM is for equality between people.
I'm starting to feel like I'm talking to a brick wall. For the last time, Blizzard is being criticized for the same reason the NBA is being criticized : pretending to have a moral high ground when they really don't. Blizzard even has a bloody plaque outside its studio that specifically advocates the freedom of speech, which is not an 'imaginary' concept like you're obviously suggesting. Since Blizzard isn't acting on its word and pandering to its affluent CCP overlord instead, this makes them a hypocrite. Is that clear enough for you yet? Or do you need to ask the same redundant stuff over and over again?
Hey Brick. For the last time. Do you even understand what is freedom of speech? This is not to talk every kind of crap, from everywhere. This is, that you have right to say your opinion and there will be place for that. I understand that maybe you are 12 years old, but the world is not working around your free speech. What do you think, that you can go on live TV show and start shouting "Freedom for HK" and someone will allow you that? No. Or that you can go and do riot in the middle of the road, because you want? This is not working like that. What Blizzard did, was to neither agree or disagree with him. Hearthstone tournament is not a place for any political speech. People are watching Blizzard tournaments, not to listen political position of different kids. If he wanted to do such comment, he can just turn his own stream, to do it, and to receive ban from Twitch, because actually in the rules of Twitch it is forbidden, someone to promote every kind of riot. And that has nothing to do with what Blizzard or Twitch support. That means, that they don't want to show such content. And this is absolutely normal, because when I go to watch HS stream/tournament I don't want to appear in the middle of night news and to understand what is the problem with Honk Kong. Do you even think, that none of the viewers, need such content from Blizzard. Have you ever heard from Ukrainian player (Kolento), such statements, while there is civil war in their country too?
I take back what I said. Brick walls make much more compelling arguments than you do. You can royally crawl back to Emperor Pooh and lick his honey-covered scrotum, now.
Yes, and you obviously has absolutely no argument about that, just riding hype train. You can go to HK and continue your riots... oh I forgot you dont care for HK and just spamming in internet with nonsense.
who were the casters that ot banned?
I have a question to everyone. Lets say that if this was not about Honk Kong, but lets say USA. What would you say if for example all NA grand masters in every interviews call to all USA population to start riots against government or even war. How would you feel? Everyone should be free to say what they want again? Not of course, right to say your opinion on the right place at the right time is freedom, not to promote it everywhere and to everyone who don't want it.
This is such an idiotic apples and oranges comparison. Carrying water for Chinese communist bootlickers, eh?
However, I will humor you;
IF the US suddenly invaded a long-time sovereign nation like, say, Guatemala, and imprisoned/beat anyone that wanted independence, and a Guatemalan player made a generic statement in favor of independence (not the call to violence in your example), THEN that would be an equivalent situation to what blitzchung did, and yes, I would support it.
Now buzz off, bootlicker.
And that is Blizzard Job, to solve national problem? Everyone here is stating that this is censorship. If you are stating, that someone can ask for riots, than someone can ask for war... why not. Everyone has equal rights. AS idiotic is to support statement of riot in hearthstone as any other statement of violence, not related with the game. It is pretty idiotic to think that only your riots are important. NO ONE should include politics in hearthstone tournament.
Blizzard's job is NOT to enforce the national propaganda of communist China, bootlicker.
It was to run a Hearthstone tournament.
Wait, wait... but Blizzard Job is to support Hong Kong? Are you joking? It is not their job to support Hong Kong as well.
You bring politics onto a football field - you get punished, you bring politics onto Olympics - you get punished. How is esports event differs from a football match or Olympics? Correct answer - there's no difference. If you want to talk about politics - please finish your match, go outside and then do anything you want.
Oh wow we've got a big-brain! Now listen here, boy.
First thing is that I was in China and know it wery well because my company business is tightly connected to Chinese manufacturers, it's a great country to live. If you never was there, have no idea about the country and can hardly find it on map, blame your teachers and your parents. Second thing is that if those guys think they are mature enough to perform public political actions, they should know that some kinds of such activities can cause a legal response, so they took responsibility and got rekt, that's how life works. Third thing is that you can just continue being delusional about things happening around you and keep living in your pink bubble.
well, the problem is not that america wants to enforce their political vision upon everyone. the point with HK is to enforce the political vision of the *vast* majority upon the minority that holds the power. HK is a bit unique in the sense that they really really really want to not be governed by china.
one can totally take the side to say "we stand with 90% of the people". in general. Though I have also the opinion that Blizzard probably cannot take the fight against the Chinese government which probably forced them to take action....
And in the same situation in Russia/Ukraine and Crimea, when they vote to become part of Russia, whole world turn against Russia, because they agree to take them. How is that different? People said, that they want to be part of other country. This is not how world is working and for sure it is not place in Hearthstone such things to be decided. OK, than lets on every HS tournament, to look upon complicated government problems, which someone care. This soon will turn in really bad place. Such things should be stopped from the start and blizzard show us, that their games are not the place where such debates will be done.
Yeah, while Honk Kong has legal vote. How did you understand that in one situation, there is legal vote and in other there isn't legal vote?
What legal voting system? All of the candidates for HK government positions are hand-picked and approved by the CCP, remember?
I just can't find words to express how incredibly sick and tired I am of the bullshit argument "Blizzard is a business that has to make profit", as if that's somehow an excuse for them to do whatever. Since you don't seem to have a fucking clue what's going on, here's a short version:
China / Hongkong: Participates in some groes violation of human rights.
Blitzchung: Makes a comment on how that's maybe not a good thing.
The 2 casters: Happen to exist in the same room.
Blizzard: Takes the livelihood and carreer opportunities away from all 3 of them.
Fuck you and anyone else for taking Blizzard's side. Sincerely yours.
This is not about taking sides. The argument is also not that Blizzard gets a free pass on everything. Their tournament, their stream, their public outreach, hence also their rules. Your list should look like that
China / Hongkong: Participates in some gross violation of human rights.
Blitzchung: Makes a comment on how that's not a good thing as part of a advertisement program by blizzard.
Blizzard:Decides this is not part of what they want as an advertisement for the games. Hence, don't pay for it and remove it from the advertisement program.
This has to be Blizzards right, taking it away from them is just creating a world, where freedom doesn't matter. Property rights, including rights to broadcast on certain platforms and non-physical property like a video game have to remain rights. Free speech is not suppressed here, you are allowed to say whatever you want just not on a Blizzard-sponsored platform. If you do, they can take away your right to profit from the platform, since they pay for it.
If he did it on his own twitch channel and they were to ban him from grandmasters, then Blizzard would indeed go to far. Alternatively, if they ban him from the game and don't allow him to play it anymore that would also be too far, but esports done by blizzard only exist for their publicity, if you partake you should not do anything that harms the company.