Skip to main content

Why Blizzard suspending a Hearthstone player over Hong Kong support is bad

Image used with permission by copyright holder

On October 6, professional Hearthstone player Chung Ng Wai won a match in the Hearthstone Grandmasters competition and used a postgame interview to voice his support for protestors currently voicing their frustration with Hong Kong and the Chinese government. Shortly thereafter, Blizzard removed him from the competition, revoked his winnings, and suspended him from all Hearthstone esports competitions for a year. The broadcasters who interviewed him were also fired.

It was an immensely controversial punishment that doesn’t seem to fit the crime — if you can even call it that. If anything, it only shows how Blizzard’s current rules can be manipulated to suit the needs of those with their own agenda in the company.

Blizzard cited a line in its official Grandmasters competition rules for the decision:

“Engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages [the] Blizzard image will result in removal from Grandmasters competition and reduction of the player’s prize total to $0, in addition to other remedies which may be provided under the Handbook and Blizzard’s Website Terms.”

Hong Kong Protests
AFP

The vagueness of this rule means “offending” someone could mean coming into conflict with a government. Blizzard has immense support in China that include professional esports teams. Suspending Chung Ng Wai appears to be a step to appease potential government or regulatory bodies in China than it is to avoid offending anyone. After all, nothing offensive toward a particular person or group was said in the statement.

Hong Kong’s protests are largely driven by people who believe their civil rights are being violated by an increasing police state and assimilation into the rest of China. It has resulted in beatings, deaths, and arrests, and shows no signs of stopping.

Blizzard’s opposition to words condemning the protestors’ mistreatment doesn’t fall in line with the values of its characters, particularly in the game Overwatch — where freedom and the defense of those who cannot defend themselves are key themes.

Should Blizzard move down this path further in the future, it points to a company that does not embrace its own values, and whose games designed with themes that are nothing more than window dressing. It is a depressing prospect and one that could ultimately be the downfall of a company that appears to be struggling internally.

Editors' Recommendations

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
Destiny 2: The Final Shape gets a new release date after team layoffs
Guardians stand together in Destiny 2: The Final Shape key art.

Destiny 2's next expansion, The Final Shape, has been delayed. The DLC will now launch on June 6, 2024. Prior to that date, the shooter will get a new two-month event dubbed Into the Light.

The news of The Final Shape's delay shouldn't come as a surprise. Just this month, developer Bungie was hit by a layoff wave that will reportedly cut around 100 staff members. At the time, Bloomberg reported that The Final Shape would be bumped to June. Bungie has now confirmed that report in a blog post.

Read more
You can’t save on a time machine for Cyber Monday but this arcade machine is $400 off
The Arcade1Up Mortal Kombat arcade machine against a white background.

While there are a lot of savings to be had if you’re shopping the PS5 Cyber Monday deals or the Xbox Series X Cyber Monday deals, there’s even more money to keep in your pocket if you’re feeling a little bit retro this Cyber Monday. The Arcade1Up Mortal Kombat arcade machine is seeing a Cyber Monday price of just $300, which is a monstrous savings of $400 from its regular price of $700. Free delivery is also included, which is a nice freebie for such a clunky addition to your game room.

Why you should buy the Arcade1Up Mortal Kombat arcade machine
You won’t find them ranked amongst the 50 best video games of all time, but Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, and Mortal Kombat III are the featured gaming attractions of this arcade machine. And the original Mortal Kombat likely doesn’t sit far outside those top 50, as it was a cultural revolution in the 1990s and took fighting games to a new level. You can sit down and play these games in an arcade style, and even experience them with some modern upgrades. Powerful processors deliver sharp graphics on the 17-inch high-resolution screen, and integrated speakers with adjustable volume blast each fight over the machine’s original artwork.

Read more
I bought two Steam Autumn Sale games — both were under $5
Screenshot of Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

Alongside all of the Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals that we've been covering this week is one thing nearly everyone with a gaming PC has been thinking about. It's the Steam Autumn sale, where you're sure to find good deals on games in your wishlist. While a lot of the coverage of this event will highlight deals on the best games of 2023, I'd like to highlight a couple of games I picked up for under $5 that you might've missed otherwise. They're the kinds of games that I'm actually curious about, not just big titles that pull in clicks, and I think you might like to try out, too, while they're under $5. The Steam Autumn Sale lasts until November 28th at 10 AM Pacific Time.
SYNTHETIK Ultimate — $4, was $20

SYNTHETIK Ultimate is a game that I would likely not have ever picked up at full price. It is a very arcadey top-down shooter experience and I'll fully admit I'm not always 100% sure why things are happening on my screen. What I am sure of is that it is exciting and, even within the first hour, I'm finding some of the most interesting third person gunplay I've seen in a shooter. For example, the character I'm playing above is a sniper. To shoot effectively, I have to stop moving for a second and then click on my enemy directly. Oh, I when I reload my gun — or any gun in the game, for that matter — I have the chance of jamming the gun. It means I have to always have a backup plan ready. The game, now just $4, is worth it for a bit of chaos in your life.

Read more