SNOWSTORM
BLIZZARD suspends pro player for Hong Kong protest, as China’s grip tightens
The swift and disproportionate
action sparked a wave of public
outcry that quickly grew completely
out of Blizzard’s control, igniting
fears about the influence of Chinese
investors—in practice embodying the
will of the Chinese government—in
gaming. It’s hard not to interpret the
publisher’s decision as primarily
motivated by both the five percent
stake Chinese gaming corportation
Tencent holds in it, and its wider
financial interests in the country.SPEECH IMPEDIMENT
Not exactly a victory, then, for free
speech. Despite a spurious statement
from Blizzard’s president J AllenA
ctivision Blizzard isn’t
having the best year.
After laying off
hundreds of
employees in
February and killing the Heroes of
the Storm esports scene overnight,
it’s now suspended Hearthstone pro
player, Chung ‘Blitzchung’ Ng Wai,
after he shouted “Liberate Hong
Kong, revolution of our age!”
during a post-match interview
livestream—referencing the
ongoing political situation between
China and the region.
Blizzard ruled that Chung’s
statements were in violation of
tournament rules, banning him from
competing for a year, and revoking
his prize money—and, in a bizarre
display of collateral damage, even
suspending the two casters who
conducted the interview, despite
them literally ducking under desks to
avoid being caught up in the incident.THE BLOWBACK
AGAINST BLIZZARD’S
DECISION HAS BEEN
INTENSE