70 OVER THE TOP Censorship
WE BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING PLAYERS AND ENCOURAGING THEMTO ENGAGE AND TO SPEAK OUT
BLIZZARD OF CONTROVERSY The suspensions provoked immediate fan outrage, with the universal assumption being that Blizzard’s priority was to serve the interests of a country that not only has part ownership of the company, but is a gargantuan market for the Blizzard brand. There was a rush to boycott Blizzard, a movement with its own #boycottblizzard hashtag. The next week, Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack issued a statement explaining the decision, noting that blitzchung was in violation of the competition rules which clearly forbid drawing the game into public controversy. “Over the weekend, blitzchung used his
segment to make a statement about the situation in Hong Kong – in violation of rules he acknowledged and understood, and this is why we took action... “We hire shoutcasters to amplify the excitement of the game. They elevate the watchability and help the esports viewing experience stay focused on the tournament and our amazing players... The specific views expressed by blitzchung were not a factor in the decision we made. I want to be clear, our relationships in China had no influence on our decision... There is a consequence for taking the conversation away from the purpose of the event and disrupting or derailing the broadcast.”
Brack admitted the penalties were unduly harsh. Blizzard returned blitzchung’s prize money and reduced the suspensions for him and the shoutcasters to six months. In the meantime, blitzchung, banned or not, had become a celebrity and an accessible public symbol of Hong Kong’s anti-China protests. US senators jumped on board, taking an opportunity to score political points, and even Blizzard employees expressed displeasure with acts of protest on the company grounds. Despite the ban – probably because of the ban – blitzchung was signed by American esports team, Tempo Storm. Tempo Storm’s CEO and former Hearthstone player Andrey Yanyuk said: “We believe first and foremost in supporting players and encouraging them to engage and to speak out on the things about which they are most passionate. In many ways, we value the character and integrity of our players as much as, if not more than, their tournament placings.” ACTIVISTS AND APOLOGIES The controversy came at the worst possible time for Blizzard, with their annual BlizzCon convention kicking off on 1 November in Anaheim, California. With supporters demonstrating outside the Anaheim Convention Center, Blizzard Entertainment CEO Brack gave his usual BlizzCon opening speech. During it, he addressed the company’s reaction to the blitzchung furore, saying “We failed in our purpose. For that, I am sorry, and I accept accountability.” But Hearthstone continued to be fertile terrain for discussions of equality. The next day, esports player “VKLiooon” (Xiaomeng Li) became the first woman and first Chinese player to win a Hearthstone Grandmasters championship and the first woman to win a grand finals trophy at BlizzCon. She took home winnings of $200,000.
ALL APOLOGIES Blizzard CEO expressed regret about the blitzchung incident in his opening
statement at BlizzCon 2019
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