Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments • Hacker News Board

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#371

Post by Akinato » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:29 PM UTC

taytus wrote: post #322

FillardMillmore wrote: post #284

So we are at the point where American video game developers are banning people from e-sports competitions for their comments over a domestic issue in a foreign country? Because the Chinese government probably didn't like his comments, that counts as 'public disrepute'? This is just wild to me.

It is wild, but it's also part of their own rules: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EGVTuRlXkAA0ovF?format=png Honest question: Can we call this unfair if it was already laid out as part of their rules?

Yes. Humans are not suddenly owned because they take part in a contest or work for an employer. We should be allowed to point out literal genocide and authoritarian beatdowns without losing our jobs -- especially when it's an entirely different country.

They're trying to silence the people by pressuring companies to punish those people. Any companies that bow to this pressure are straight up saying that they'd rather support genocide and the right for China to detain and treat protestors however they feel like --- rather than let someone who won a contest to have a personal opinion about it.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#372

Post by theseadroid » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:29 PM UTC

Sorry for not entirely related to the main thread, but since it seems there are many people in this thread knowledgable on what's going on in Hong Kong, I'd like to ask 2 questions.

I'm not siding with CCP, but my issue is I'm not sure I can side with the protestors either. Because

1. Does the protestors representing the majority of citizens? If yes at this stage why the working class in Hong Kong hasn't started long term strike yet? I would imagine that the most effective non violence method of protesting by citizens would be stop working. That would for one stop the tax flow to the government.

2. Is it necessary for protestors to be violent against pro-China civilians/properties? I'm aware that the protestors have been subject to violence from both police and mobs alike, but fighting for democracy should be a higher cause than revenge? Aren't they fight for freedom of speech among others? Or it's just freedom for themselves and violence and totalitarianism for who else disagrees? [1]

Again I love freedom to the point I've spent many years fighting it for myself and helped a few people. I support Taiwan to be an independent country. But we all know many bad things have been committed under the name of freedom as well. Now I'm not sure if the Hong Kong protestors are fighting under the name of freedom to actually express their hatred toward mainlanders? Thanks for reading and hope my questions would not offend anyone. Just would like to understand the situation better.

Also I'd like to suggest for whoever suggesting going to war with China first consider asking your government to grant full citizenship, permanent residency, or unconditional asylum to Hong Kong permanent residents who wants it.

Edit: would like to hear some thoughts when you downvote.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-GR88q8pIw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPYuGYLesx0 (the planting of CCP flag near the end is really distasteful for me)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NFb2chXt9k

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3031906... (trashing trains while passengers still inside)

(Toby Guu is a Canadian software developer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Jgp7-tXfc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFwGqF3QlVc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcw7lcZA7SE

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#373

Post by C1sc0cat » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:30 PM UTC

GuB-42 wrote: post #360

zwaps wrote: post #139

Then we have to boycott Hearthstone. While the current case is neither surprising nor substantially important, it is important because of principle. Blizzard is not responsible for what players say in interviews. In our society, it still matters that people can tolerate other opinions. The Chinese government tries to make it a new normal that entire people can have their "feelings hurt" (what?) by mere non-insulting…

It happened during an event sponsored by Blizzard. Player may have their opinions but they are paid (through prizes) and broadcast by Blizzard. It means that Blizzard gets to set the rules about what can be said. And in case it wasn't obvious, it is explicitly stated in the competition rules. There is a difference between tolerating Blitzchung's opinions and letting him hijack an interview to make a political stateme…

Doubt that would be justiciable in most countries, other wise you could sack a Premier league player because they supported a particular political party.

Gaming companies cant set up pro leagues and treat players as if it was still football in the 1950's

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#374

Post by groby_b » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:30 PM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #254

Steltek wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was that the same lover of freedom that campaigned to take away the freedom of others?

If you think back to before gay marriage was accepted as a culturally obvious fact, some of the arguments against it involved hating gays, but others didn't. Without the ability to tell which beliefs actually motivated his donation, it is not possible to discern if he was against gays or not. (I'll refrain from giving any specific examples in order to avoid starting that debate again, but I think most of us can remem…

It's kind of hard to say "you do not deserve to share your life with the person you love. You don't deserve to take care of them when they're sick. You don't deserve a family with them. Because you're gay" without actually hating gay people.

Just because you don't call for somebody to be killed doesn't mean you don't hate them.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#375

Post by turk73 » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:31 PM UTC

kkarakk wrote: post #44

diveanon wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is happening there is literally what has led to revolutions in several western countries over the last couple centuries. The Chinese are correct to be afraid, they have spent the last half century cleansing the concept of freedom from their society and they are terrified of what comes next. People are going to start dying publicly in HK very soon, and the rest of the world will have to decide which side of histo…

Considering how Trump bowed down before Turkey about the christian Kurd fighters issue(basically abandoning people who were promised aid in exchange for dismantling their border security), I don't think he's going to care about Hong Kong too much

The US spent 10 years involved in this Syria mess while all the rest of Europe/NATO sat on their freaking hands.

While I empathize with the plight of the Kurds, they are really no worse off than they have ever been.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#376

Post by cabalamat » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:31 PM UTC

zwaps wrote: post #139

Then we have to boycott Hearthstone. While the current case is neither surprising nor substantially important, it is important because of principle. Blizzard is not responsible for what players say in interviews. In our society, it still matters that people can tolerate other opinions. The Chinese government tries to make it a new normal that entire people can have their "feelings hurt" (what?) by mere non-insulting…

> Then we have to boycott Hearthstone.

No, we need to boycott Blizzard.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#377

Post by hellcow » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:33 PM UTC

EasyTiger_ wrote: post #329

alimbada wrote: post #158

It's a shame but I feel like the majority of gamers won't care. They'll either be ignorant of this or they'll just shrug and continue playing. I boycotted Activision and by proxy Blizzard when Activision acquired them a long time ago but their continuing success shows I'm part of an extremely tiny minority.

Personally I've requested my account be deleted.

I have as well.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#378

Post by cicero » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:34 PM UTC

Cancel culture is becoming universal. Violations of political correctness can cause cancellation of TV shows, loss of jobs, and now banning from video game competitions. It is interesting that these days this is primarily a tool of the left end of the political spectrum even though in the past, book burnings, etc. were seen as a conservative tactic. However, cancel responses are becoming so common that I would not be surprised if conservatives start doing it too, if they haven't already.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#379

Post by mapcars » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:34 PM UTC

zwaps wrote: post #139

Then we have to boycott Hearthstone. While the current case is neither surprising nor substantially important, it is important because of principle. Blizzard is not responsible for what players say in interviews. In our society, it still matters that people can tolerate other opinions. The Chinese government tries to make it a new normal that entire people can have their "feelings hurt" (what?) by mere non-insulting…

>Then we have to boycott Hearthstone

You mean Blizzard?

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#380

Post by Shivetya » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 1:36 PM UTC

KaoruAoiShiho wrote: post #353

Absolutely agree, it's time for American video games to stop publishing in China. It's not worth the Chinese influence on our society.

American video games? What about American companies that have factories there or other presence there? Hello Apple! Hello Tesla! Hello Google.

Blizzard has been bending over backwards for some time with regards to China but this is the first time I remember them taking action against someone who does not work for them.

the simple matter is, you cannot pick and choose, all the companies must be shamed into not bending to China's censorship because it won't be long before such actions suddenly show in law; not that some of the speech regulations in the EU aren't close as it is with regards to what you can and cannot say with regards to religions