Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Blizzard says 'we failed in our purpose' after Hearthstone Hong Kong controversy
Source: The Verge
Blizzard says ‘we failed in our purpose’ after Hearthstone Hong Kong controversy
Blizzard’s president apologized directly to fans
By Nick Statt@nickstatt Nov 1, 2019, 2:12pm EDT
Blizzard Entertainment kicked off its annual BlizzCon fan expo today with a direct apology from president J. Allen Brack regarding the explosive Hong Kong controversy that’s engulfed the company for the past month.
“Blizzard had the opportunity to bring the world together in a tough Hearthstone e-sports moment about a month ago. We did not. We moved too quickly in our decision-making and then to make matters worse, we were too slow to talk to all of you,” Brack said onstage during the beginning of the BlizzCon opening ceremony. “When I think about how most unhappy I am, I think about two things. We didn’t live up to the higher standards we set for ourselves. Second, we failed in our purpose. For that, I am sorry, and I accept accountability.”
Brack, aware of the protests outside BlizzCon’s doors at the Anaheim Convention Center, decided he would address the situation head-on. And the controversy, in which Blizzard banned a professional Hearthstone player for supporting the Hong Kong protestors in what critics say was a direct appeasement of the Chinese government, still threatens to overshadow many of the company’s announcements today.
Before Brack took the stage and throughout his statement, Twitch users were filling up the live stream chat window with “FREE HK” and other similar sentiments. Brack was careful not to even mention the words “Hong Kong,” but he did go on to pledge that Blizzard “will do better going forward” and that its actions “will matter more than any of these words.”
That may not do much to quell critics who say the six-month ban, reduced from a year-long ban, it gave pro Hearthstone player Ng “Blitzchung” Wai Chung was motivated by its relationship with the Chinese government, a claim Blizzard has tried to refute with little to no success.
-snip-
Blizzard’s president apologized directly to fans
By Nick Statt@nickstatt Nov 1, 2019, 2:12pm EDT
Blizzard Entertainment kicked off its annual BlizzCon fan expo today with a direct apology from president J. Allen Brack regarding the explosive Hong Kong controversy that’s engulfed the company for the past month.
“Blizzard had the opportunity to bring the world together in a tough Hearthstone e-sports moment about a month ago. We did not. We moved too quickly in our decision-making and then to make matters worse, we were too slow to talk to all of you,” Brack said onstage during the beginning of the BlizzCon opening ceremony. “When I think about how most unhappy I am, I think about two things. We didn’t live up to the higher standards we set for ourselves. Second, we failed in our purpose. For that, I am sorry, and I accept accountability.”
Brack, aware of the protests outside BlizzCon’s doors at the Anaheim Convention Center, decided he would address the situation head-on. And the controversy, in which Blizzard banned a professional Hearthstone player for supporting the Hong Kong protestors in what critics say was a direct appeasement of the Chinese government, still threatens to overshadow many of the company’s announcements today.
Before Brack took the stage and throughout his statement, Twitch users were filling up the live stream chat window with “FREE HK” and other similar sentiments. Brack was careful not to even mention the words “Hong Kong,” but he did go on to pledge that Blizzard “will do better going forward” and that its actions “will matter more than any of these words.”
That may not do much to quell critics who say the six-month ban, reduced from a year-long ban, it gave pro Hearthstone player Ng “Blitzchung” Wai Chung was motivated by its relationship with the Chinese government, a claim Blizzard has tried to refute with little to no success.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/1/20944022/blizzard-blizzcon-hearthstone-china-hong-kong-response-j-allen-brack