The furor over punishment that video game maker Blizzard Entertainment Inc. meted out to a professional gamer who voiced support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters may spill over into the company’s flagship BlizzCon jamboree next month in Anaheim.
Blizzard said it punished Hong Kong gamer Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai for detracting from a gaming tournament in Taiwan on Oct. 5. Critics cried foul, saying Blizzard bowed to pressure from Beijing to protect its business interests in the world’s largest gaming market.
“Protesters upset with Blizzard’s lack of support for Hong Kong are planning to show up at the company’s annual fan convention,
BlizzCon, on Nov. 1,” Business Insider reported on Oct. 14. “One group of protesters planned to form picket lines outside of the event and interrupt BlizzCon panel discussions with questions about Hong Kong.”
The same group is demanding that Blizzard make a public statement in support of Hong Kong, apologize and reverse the punishment meted out to Blitzchung, even after Blizzard reduced its initial punishment, according to Business Insider.
BlizzCon takes place over two days in the Anaheim Convention Center and is billed as “the most epic family reunion on the planet.” Tens of thousands attend the annual event.
Reduced Punishment
During the Hearthstone Grandmasters tournament, Blitzchung shouted “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” in a post-match interview with two Taiwanese online video game show hosts.
Blizzard initially banned him from competition for a year and seized $10,000 he had won in the competition, sparking international protests.
Blizzard President J. Allen Brack responded to the furor in a blog post on Oct. 11. The company’s ties to China weren’t a factor in punishing Blitzchung during the Blizzard-sponsored Hearthstone tournament, and the punishment was due to Blitzchung’s violating the gaming tournament rules, Brack said..
“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,” Brack said.
Brack said Blizzard would reduce Blitzchung’s suspension from the Hearthstone pro circuit to six months from one year, and give him his $10,000 in tournament winnings.
The company had initially cut ties with the two Taiwanese hosts involved in the interview but later changed that to a six-month suspension.
Key Market
China is a critical market for Blizzard’s parent company, Activision Blizzard Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), which is seeking Chinese approval to launch a version of its biggest game, “Call of Duty.” Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. also holds a 4.9% stake in Activision, leading to concerns about China’s influence on the company.
Hong Kong has been experiencing protests for several months with demands for more sovereignty, and resistance to the Communist leadership in Beijing.
