Blizzard community,
Our world has a long history of racism. Humans create groups, and then create divisions between groups unlike themselves. Ironic how we need each other as social creatures, yet we developed the practice to ‘other’ humans who at first glance don’t look like what we see in the mirror.
I have made it a personal obligation to educate myself about trauma others endure, and to work to change those experiences for them. Many within Blizzard come from a place of strong purpose, with a will to do in order to help society.
Last year at BlizzCon, I made a commitment for Blizzard to do better. We pride ourselves on learning and growing, and doing something now that reflects our company and community values. I also said that our actions would matter more than our words—we have been publicly silent until now because action is the important part.
Let me be clear: Blizzard stands in solidarity with those fighting against racism, because racism is as dangerous as any pandemic for those affected. We stand with those fighting against social and institutional structures that promote inequality among people of color.
Last week, AB announced donations to the Equal Justice Initiative, the United Negro College Fund, and the Management Leaders of Tomorrow (MLT) to fight systemic racial inequality. At Blizzard, we are working on initiatives for our community and our workplace.
In our games: For many years, we’ve had teams working with A.I. and machine learning to reduce toxicity and hate speech, as well as to help improve the overall gaming experience. Since January 1 this year, we’ve banned over 30,000 accounts for these reasons, as well as issued more than three million total hours of player suspensions. These penalties have notably improved our game environments: over the last two years, we’ve seen a 43% reduction in poor behavior reports, and a 59% reduction in the re-offense rate. And while this is progress, we’ve identified other places where we can use this technology and have more work to continue to do toward this effort.
In our relationships: We are also reviewing our partnerships to identify opportunities to support Black-owned and diverse businesses, and to amplify the voices of Black content creators and influencers.
Juneteenth: Today at Blizzard, we are observing Juneteenth with the goal of encouraging employees to take the time to be educated. We hosted a virtual session with a leader in our home city of Irvine, California, so employees can learn more about implicit bias, implications for law and policy, and how they can get involved in local efforts to drive change. We have also provided a list of resources to help coworkers self-educate, and shared ways to get involved in advocacy.
Ongoing: We are stronger with more diverse views and experiences. We are committed to being a more equitable workplace, including how and where we recruit, our HR practices, and employee support. We will also put an ongoing employee education program into place. This program will include more training and education (with the materials purchased from Black and minority-owned businesses), and Blizzard-wide town halls with experts on allyship, advocacy, and racism.
All of this work will continue to make Blizzard better, and play some small part in a larger, positive shift.
To our Black community, colleagues, and partners, Blizzard stands with you.
Black lives matter, today and always.
- J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment
To the moderators:
I honestly believe you should close the comments on this article. Pro-BLM users are getting mad at opposing viewpoints and threatening to leave the site while anti-BLM users are being censored for making fun of the other side and making slightly insensitive jokes, lowering trust in the site. Either way, damage is done to this community. This website is a place to relax and discuss fun strategies, decks and card balance for Hearthstone. Political discussion really doesn't fit. I suggest you close comments on all future blue posts covering race politics or other very divisive issues.
Or just don't post them to begin with. I come here for the game, and i don't care about any other shit.
I'm sorry but Blizzard is so fake and the worst of the phony "woke" crowd. They have no morals or guiding principles as a company.
They criticize America for going through a healthy debate, and yet turn blind eye to Genocide and oppression in China as they make millions.
But they don't stop at silence and a blind eye in that communist nation, no, they ban people who are brave enough to express themselves against potentially losing their freedoms. But they didn't stop at banning players for speaking out, oh no, they made the man forfeit all his winnings and publicly humiliated him.
Shame on you Blizzard. You have no moral authority to preen and say you're for human rights with phony press releases like these. Stick to making new cards in Hearthstone and let people with actual moral compasses lead the way for human rights.
Good and decent people: ALL lives matter.
Racist people: Black lives matter.
Coronavirus: No human life matter. (And for some reason people think is a good idea make this mess in a pandemic)
That is it, the truly equal rights.
What is happen now are people trying to create a demand for their services, they want to convince everybody you can fight racism with racism.
Because people who defend things like this can't argue or use logic, the only thing can do is demand for the opposition be silenced.
When you do this so much every time become clear who is wrong in all this.
"Biggest civil rights movement of all time?"
This is a joke? You know less than 3 centuries ago people was burn in public for supersticions believes? You know about Berlim wall?
Just because we don't say Amem for all BS every left movement said don't means we are racist, homofobic, facist or anything else this people like to call anyone don't mindless agree with everything they said.
Honestly, I just made an account to comment on how disgusting the people on this site are. Like we are literally in the biggest civil rights movement of all time and a majority of the posts are against it? Like, c'mon guys. This site is just an echo chamber of white people claiming aLl LiVeS mAtTeR like yes of course they do but there is an advantage being born white that none of you want to admit. We're trying to bring change to help those who have difficulties just because of the color of their skin, which they have no choice over. So you know what? If you honestly believe that there is no need for a Black Lives Matter movement and that all lives start with equal opportunity regardless of their skin color, then downvote this. Not like ima come back and check tbh. Disappointed in the community, guys. Yall are better than this.
It's annoying af that all Blizzard games have SHIT and TOXIC communities. Maybe SC2 can be an "exception" (and I remark MAYBE)... This community is full of incels, white supremacists nerds and plain assholes. I don't even want to pass from the first page of this post, since it's full of shitheads.
I believe this community should be more punitive towards these kind of things. If Blizzard doesn't, they should do it.
I think it's more the messenger that people are memeing. Please look into Blizzard's history to see if it has any morals and should be issuing press releases like these. The people at the top are terrible human beings that will destroy people for using platforms to stand up to oppression (see Blitzchung).
They need to stick to making cards and not selectively preening moral superiority. This press release just reminded me how disgusted I was with these people for banning that Hong Kong guy. I quit the game for a while because of it. May do so again, but I think the creative team has more of a moral compass so it's hard either way.
No, your ideas of "racism" and "oppression" are factually wrong and only contribute to discrimination against white people (the only racial group not protected under Civil Rights law). Even if so-called racists were in the wrong on this issue, I wouldn't want one side of the argument to get shut down. In my opinion, there should either be free discussion from multiple viewpoints or no discussion at all.
If you're so offended by opposing viewpoints, maybe convince the moderators to close comments on sensitive topics like this one. Discussion is pointless when only one side gets a say.
ALL lives matter :)
Lok'tar Ogar !
BARF.......................................................BARF>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Is not to deny the existence of race, but your importance, people should be judge by your actions, the color of your skin should be so relevant like the size of your ears or how much hair have inside of your nose, in other words, should not matter at all.
Best thing said about this topic ever:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zkka24Cu2w
Denying the existence of race does not solve race relations. Conservatives have been doing that for years and it has only gotten worse.
A whole lot of yikes in this thread
Blizzard's "social responsibility" is simply - whatever is profitable.
Hong Kong? More profitable to bow to China and protect that revenue, human rights be damned.
BLM? More profitable to support it at the moment lest people attack them for not doing so.
They have no morals, they have no desire to change anything. All Activision wants is more money.
who gives a fuck fix secret mage