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

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#511

Post by shadowgovt » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 2:57 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…

You may need to attach scopes to "we" and "our society." I assume you're referring to Americans and the United States?

Blizzard/Activision is a multinational corporation. Incorporated in the US, but beholden to more cultural norms than just the US ones.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#512

Post by dosy » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 2:58 PM UTC

grecy wrote: post #457

loceng wrote: post #259

[flagged]

[flagged]

Translation: "Let me dismiss and trivialize that which I'm too scared to admit might be true." Good luck keeping on pretending the opinions of a large chunk of the world don't exist, don't make sense or don't matter.

Or maybe it's you who needs to expand your mind, show a bit of empathy and try to understand the other side?

Sure, I guess it's easier to pretend the other side doesn't really exist, than to come to understand it. Keep arrogant and ignorant at your own peril. But I guess it's easier to close your mind and feel better by pretending it's wrong, than to try to know the rest of the world?

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#513

Post by bananatron » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 2:58 PM UTC

Democracy is more important than Hearthstone - there are a ton of games to play and a ton of developers that have the ability to show a spine (which public companies may be mechanically missing).

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#514

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:00 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#515

Post by shadowgovt » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:01 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.

Nearly a billion potential customers can be worth a lot of cash, which can buy all sorts of influence in all sorts of places.

For a struggling game company, it can also mean "winning the game," as it were.

Outside of legal constraint (which is unlikely, since China is a US frenemy given the close international economic ties), it's unlikely we'll see the entertainment industry voluntarily embrace such a boycott anytime soon. Market's simply too big; too much money left on the table.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#516

Post by jorblumesea » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:02 PM UTC

It's funny how Western companies talk about diversity, inclusion, and all of these democratic values. Then the minute a rich totalitarian regime complains, all of those concerns go out the window because $$$. Hypocrites.

I get it, if you don't cozy up to China, they'll just ban you and rip your product off. Seems like that's preferable to spinelessness.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#517

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:02 PM UTC

Shivetya wrote: post #380

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…

[deleted]

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#518

Post by jinnbama » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:02 PM UTC

ndury wrote: post #450

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.

These studio's should not stop publishing their games in China. The issue lies that these studio's happily comply with whatever restrictions a govt is willing to oblige due to possibly playerbase loss. Think lootboxes, forbidden skins in regions, exc... exc.. Companies as big as Blizzard should be prepared to lose 5/10/15% of their playerbase to defend free speech, the thing is they do not care about free speech. All…

Blind defense of this narrow and immature notion of free speech from Blizzard would have people up on stage shouting racial slurs.

Rather, I think a consistent and humane stance on ethics and human rights abuses would help and address the real issue here.

They have the right to deny people access to their services and nothing they do is essential, but they do and will very obviously grab a lot of negative attention when they cut someone off for supporting the liberation of a group that's being brutalized by a major world power's corrupt police force.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#519

Post by pault » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:03 PM UTC

shadowgovt wrote: post #511

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…

You may need to attach scopes to "we" and "our society." I assume you're referring to Americans and the United States? Blizzard/Activision is a multinational corporation. Incorporated in the US, but beholden to more cultural norms than just the US ones.

Anyone that lives in a democratic country with legally protected civil rights.

Re: Blizzard Suspends Professional Hearthstone Player for Hong Kong Comments

#520

Post by Aarostotle » Tue, Oct 08, 2019, 3:05 PM UTC

ndury wrote: post #450

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.

These studio's should not stop publishing their games in China. The issue lies that these studio's happily comply with whatever restrictions a govt is willing to oblige due to possibly playerbase loss. Think lootboxes, forbidden skins in regions, exc... exc.. Companies as big as Blizzard should be prepared to lose 5/10/15% of their playerbase to defend free speech, the thing is they do not care about free speech. All…

This one is tricky. I always thought they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders, so they have to tread that line as well.

Does anyone know how that fits into the picture?