Blizzard, speech, and Capitalism

[Risastorstein]

Promoting a message, political or philosophical is an attribute common to nearly all art forms, including video games.

That is, however, entirely different than using a video game as a platform to explicitly comment on a current political event which has nothing to do with the video game in question.

A platform is still a platform.

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

A platform is still a platform.

Except that this video game isn't meant to be a platform for anything except the game itself. It's not a forum where people are encouraged to contribute their political views. It is a game where commentary should be, as per Blizzard's specification, confined to gameplay.

If the company that created the game didn't intend it to be used as a platform for anyone to promote their views, then it is entirely within its rights to punish him for doing so.

[Risastorstein]

A platform is still a platform.

Except that this video game isn't meant to be a platform for anything except the game itself. It's not a forum where people are encouraged to contribute their political views. It is a game where commentary should be, as per Blizzard's specification, confined to gameplay.

If the company that created the game didn't intend it to be used as a platform for anyone to promote their views, then it is entirely within its rights to punish him for doing so.

True, as a private company they can enforce whatever vague and over-zealous rule they want, however it's entirely within the public's rights to boycott and punish Activision Blizzard for it.

[Risottia]

America needs to stop bending over for china, but then again we also let ourselves be abused by israel, Saudi Arabia and now Turkey as well. America is like mid 1800s china. A once powerful country now having its strings pulled by foreign interlopers vying for influence within our economy and politics. I know that only southpark will have the guts to give a middle finger to the Chinese Corporatist Party

Blizzard isn't the American government, though. If Blizzard feels it's better for its business to censor someone at their own events, they're free to do so.
If the American customers feel that Blizzard's policies are wrong, they should take the thing into their own hands and quit buying Blizzard's products and services. Hit them where it hurts more: In their wallet.

[Bombadil]

They've resumed broadcasting the NBA now.. what a massive own goal by China. They've brought their bullying of companies and people to global attention and raised the issue of censorship across borders. They've skewed the HK story to a small city fighting for autonomy to a global question of freedom of speech.

All for overreacting to a post on one individual's social media account, and then other companies self-censoring.

It's going to put many companies under the spotlight, what about the Marriot who fired an employee for liking a post by the Dalai Lama, the myriad of companies who've had to grovel and apologise for listing Taiwan under country not city..

..I'm glad it's being raised as a question and hope the spotlight remains on this issue.

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

True, as a private company they can enforce whatever vague and over-zealous rule they want, however it's entirely within the public's rights to boycott and punish Activision Blizzard for it.

Yes, it is our right, no matter how childish and insensible it is.

[Totenborg]

The US's first and foremost greatest allies will always be our kith and kin. Is it any coincidence that our greatest allies are Australia and the United Kingdom, followed by Canada. The only non-Anglo country that actually gives a shit about America is Poland.

Everyone else is a liability, or in the case of Israel, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, an enemy.

I mean, we the French tried to warn you about the Iraq war unlike these so-called allies (more like blind followers).

Also, Morocco was the first country to recognize our nation status.

[New haven america]

Capitalism sucks.

And in other news, water is wet.

[James_xenoland]

As someone who plays Overwatch rather frequently, I don't know how to feel about this anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I am disgusted by their slew of decisions, and I am going to watch the thing unfold, with Blizzcon to be as awkward as possible.

I'm guessing that I could still enjoy OW as a game since I bought it, but until they clean up their act, I guess I can stop giving Blizzard money?

Personally i support Blizzard actions, gaming tournaments should not be used to promote politics as it can not only ruin the company but the diversion of millions of people for political problems.
Maybe they were very harsh suspending afull year the player but definitely he deserved a sanction.

Politics are politics and games and torunmanets should be kept off this
I know the chinese repression in Hong Kong is not good but a tournament is not the place to denounce it. He could have spoke againist China out of the tournament without involving the company and the players inside the tournament. But he had to use it for hisrj political end

TO(URNAMENTS AND GAMES SHOULD BE KEEP OUT OF POLITICS

The apolitical nature of Blizzard as a whole stopped when they talked about how they are going to maintain the dignity of China and all... over "Free Hong Kong".

Yup very good point.. Also the fact that they literally went scorched earth, communist china style. Punishing or firing everyone including the two announcers doing the interview for merely being there. A favorite tactic of totalitarian and authoritarian governments and groups throughout time, in order to send a message to everyone else even thinking of speaking up. (Case in point. China's coming "social credit" system which is being designed to not just punish wrong thinkers/doers, but also anyone even remotely connected with them who doesn't confront/turn in and completely disassociate themselves from the person. Terrifyingly extending to family, friends, co-workers, employees, employers, neighbors/neighborhood and acquaintances. Employees/employers being especially chilling by implications.)

I'm also calling the world's largest BULLSHIT on them (or almost any big name game pub/dev today) claiming political/ideological neutrality, let alone making anti-contentious content excuses,.. full fucking stop! These smug elitists have spent the last ~5-6 years shitting on anyone who dared question the need for their personal politics and ideology incessantly being spoon-fed (i.e. forced) into gaming and games. Going so far as telling whole groups of gamers to literally "fuck off, we don't want you!" But now they claim to worry about saying or doing something contentious or allowing others to... Don't think so, fuck that noise!

[Radiatia]

This is a very interesting example of China using soft power to influence the rest of the world - and an example of why we should be alarmed at the rise of China as a global power as they are a truly evil regime.

And yes, Blizzard are scum, along with the NBA et al.

Of course there is another point to make here about how in America at least, while the government has no constitutional power to censor people, corporations - which arguably wield more power than the government - do have this power. I'd actually lump this in the same category as Facebook and Google censoring news articles that don't fit with their agenda or worldview - corporate censorship is a huge problem in a world where increasingly corporations basically are the government.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

Politics in games isn’t even remotely a recent thing, the Metal Gear series, for example, has been doing the whole politics in gaming thing since the 80s since Kojima has used the series to insert political messages. Any game or game series that features any kind of war, conflict, espionage, societal turmoil, dystopian futures, international (or sometimes intergalactic) geopolitical dealings, etc. has a political bend of some degree to it.

I know this, politics in the gaming world in general has also existed for decades, this is another example of that fact.

Promoting a message, political or philosophical is an attribute common to nearly all art forms, including video games.

That is, however, entirely different than using a video game as a platform to explicitly comment on a current political event which has nothing to do with the video game in question.

I mean Blizzard does it themselves so

[GLDF]

America needs to stop bending over for china, but then again we also let ourselves be abused by israel, Saudi Arabia and now Turkey as well. America is like mid 1800s china. A once powerful country now having its strings pulled by foreign interlopers vying for influence within our economy and politics. I know that only southpark will have the guts to give a middle finger to the Chinese Corporatist Party

I question your judgment when you include Israel with Saudi Arabia and Turkey

It's not like they have right wing rulers who ally with Trump and Putin.

But with Hong Kong and repeated incidents like this, it's time to stop the totalitarian regime of the PRC. We need leaders who will stand for democracy and not corrupt politicians who deal with both sides.

[Infected Mushroom]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

This will definitely discourage such statements in the future from players.

Blizzard and Tancent run many of my favorite games like League, Hearthstone and Warcraft. I want to keep supporting them.

My cousin plays lots of Hearthstone and he’s nearly at the highest tier too.

[Infected Mushroom]

This is a very interesting example of China using soft power to influence the rest of the world - and an example of why we should be alarmed at the rise of China as a global power as they are a truly evil regime.

And yes, Blizzard are scum, along with the NBA et al.

Of course there is another point to make here about how in America at least, while the government has no constitutional power to censor people, corporations - which arguably wield more power than the government - do have this power. I'd actually lump this in the same category as Facebook and Google censoring news articles that don't fit with their agenda or worldview - corporate censorship is a huge problem in a world where increasingly corporations basically are the government.

The NBA and Blizzard understand the importance of the Chinese market for the world economy.

They also understand that it would be irresponsible to cheer on what amounts to illegal vandalism, mob violence, and law breaking behavior in another country’s territory. They understand that this would be poor form.

[Kowani]

This is a very interesting example of China using soft power to influence the rest of the world - and an example of why we should be alarmed at the rise of China as a global power as they are a truly evil regime.

And yes, Blizzard are scum, along with the NBA et al.

Of course there is another point to make here about how in America at least, while the government has no constitutional power to censor people, corporations - which arguably wield more power than the government - do have this power. I'd actually lump this in the same category as Facebook and Google censoring news articles that don't fit with their agenda or worldview - corporate censorship is a huge problem in a world where increasingly corporations basically are the government.

The NBA and Blizzard understand the importance of the Chinese market for the world economy.

They also understand that it would be irresponsible to cheer on what amounts to illegal vandalism, mob violence, and law breaking behavior in another country’s territory. They understand that this would be poor form.

First part yes, second part no.

[Infected Mushroom]

The NBA and Blizzard understand the importance of the Chinese market for the world economy.

They also understand that it would be irresponsible to cheer on what amounts to illegal vandalism, mob violence, and law breaking behavior in another country’s territory. They understand that this would be poor form.

First part yes, second part no.

Is anyone here who was a fan of Blizzard games or the NBA seriously going to stop buying just because of this?

That would be kind of ridiculous right?

Everyone’s entitled to their political views but business is business

[Samadhi]

First part yes, second part no.

Is anyone here who was a fan of Blizzard games or the NBA seriously going to stop buying just because of this?

That would be kind of ridiculous right?

My wow guild of 100+ people have all stopped because of this.
Fuck china, fuck blizzard

[Bombadil]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

This will definitely discourage such statements in the future from players.

Blizzard and Tancent run many of my favorite games like League, Hearthstone and Warcraft. I want to keep supporting them.

My cousin plays lots of Hearthstone and he’s nearly at the highest tier too.

Well when they take over you can play the China censored versions of Blizzard games they have to make.

Anyway, Blizzard slightly caved in returning all prize money and reducing the ban from a year to 6 months. A lot of corporations are going to come under increased scrutiny has to how they limit personal freedoms to appease a market.

[Page]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

Could you please just say ''I am a shill for the PRC'' and not pretend you care about politics in video games as a higher principle?

[Necroghastia]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

This will definitely discourage such statements in the future from players.

Blizzard and Tancent run many of my favorite games like League, Hearthstone and Warcraft. I want to keep supporting them.

My cousin plays lots of Hearthstone and he’s nearly at the highest tier too.

If politics were separate from gaming that would mean no Metal Gear, Mass Effect, Persona, Fallout, and many more masterpieces.

[Dumb Ideologies]

People have become used to foreigners bending to give at least the impression of compliance with American mores, so it's jarring when American companies start regularly doing the same for China. Americans have been given the line for years that capitalism inevitably causes a country to open up its society and liberalise when really that was a cultural influence based only on American relative economic power. In a multipolar world, the calculations will be quite different.

[Valentine Z]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

This will definitely discourage such statements in the future from players.

Blizzard and Tancent run many of my favorite games like League, Hearthstone and Warcraft. I want to keep supporting them.

My cousin plays lots of Hearthstone and he’s nearly at the highest tier too.

Then why would they say "We will protect the dignity of China", as if they are going to protect China throughout? They could have just went with "We will be apolitical on the matter and have no further comments," and bam, evaded all kinds of PR. And no, I can bet that if someone are to say "Pro-China, glory to PRC!" in the chat, they would not bat an eye. I'm working on a hypothetical, but I'm sure they will not do anything if someone said something pro-PRC.

The saddest thing is, it's not the higher-ups that are in most trouble; it's the employees and those that are just making and developing games and don't give two shit about politics.

[Infected Mushroom]

Is anyone here who was a fan of Blizzard games or the NBA seriously going to stop buying just because of this?

That would be kind of ridiculous right?

My wow guild of 100+ people have all stopped because of this.
Fuck china, fuck blizzard

Lol

This made my day

[Infected Mushroom]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

Could you please just say ''I am a shill for the PRC'' and not pretend you care about politics in video games as a higher principle?

I mean when I play League I just play League.

I dont actively think “oh I’m supporting China by playing this game.”

[Infected Mushroom]

Blizzard acted wisely.

We need to keep politics out of video games.

This will definitely discourage such statements in the future from players.

Blizzard and Tancent run many of my favorite games like League, Hearthstone and Warcraft. I want to keep supporting them.

My cousin plays lots of Hearthstone and he’s nearly at the highest tier too.

Then why would they say "We will protect the dignity of China", as if they are going to protect China throughout? They could have just went with "We will be apolitical on the matter and have no further comments," and bam, evaded all kinds of PR. And no, I can bet that if someone are to say "Pro-China, glory to PRC!" in the chat, they would not bat an eye. I'm working on a hypothetical, but I'm sure they will not do anything if someone said something pro-PRC.

The saddest thing is, it's not the higher-ups that are in most trouble; it's the employees and those that are just making and developing games and don't give two shit about politics.

You can get warned/banned in League and on their forums if you bring up China whether its pro or against.

Same for pushing Trump or Sanders.

The company’s moderators enforce a No Politics rule.