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BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

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Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#61

Post by friendlybus »

seanalltogether wrote: post #33

The fact that Blizzard is in a position to throw a 'Con' each year shows that their games and lore are way more highly valued then most games companies. Could you imagine fans paying $230 to visit to an EA exclusive convention each year? Not gonna happen with their reputation. Blizzard is at real risk of losing this community they've fostered for the last 20+ years

You say that like reputation matters. Bethesda has a reputation for buggy messes and actively sought to burn customers with fallout 76. The game companys' reputation is part of the product, you get to play the game of hating on EA. If you charged $230 for a con that exaggerated some drama around how bad EA is (or whatever), you'd likely sell tickets. Most large companies can afford to and do throw cons, I don't know ticket prices though.

Blizzard isn't about the older generation anymore. That is dying off naturally. They have built a new set of products for kids.

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#62

Post by Asooka »

Sysreq1 wrote: post #21
prepend wrote: post #2

Blizzard president Brack’s statement that their policy limiting player speech is to “ keep the focus on the game and on the tournament." This is curious in such an ad supported game and tournament coverage. Do twitch ads take focus away from the tournament? A five second statement by a player is nothing compared to all the non-game material within and around broadcasts. This seems to me to be some damage reduction st…

Honestly, I think this is going to be the end of Brack’s short tenure as top executive at Blizzard. I am reminded of the parable of the three letters. I think the company has backed itself into a corner, and the only way out is to let leadership fall on the sword.

Can you link to said parable? I have not heard it and Google doesn't turn up useful results for "parable of the three letters".

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#63

Post by ekianjo »

CivBase wrote: post #50

IMO, Blizzards actions have been borderline incompetent. I completely understand them not wanting their platform to be used to make political statements. This isn't like the NBA situation where Morey used a private social media account to show support for his private political opiniona. This was a platform owned by Blizzard with a very specific content focus. But banning Blitzchung for any amount of time was just dum…

> "We encourage players and community members to express themselves. However, our tournament coverage is a platform for Blizzard e-sports content only. Any future use of the platform to express personal political opinions on sensitive subject matter without Blizzard's express conscent will be met with punative action."

How about let people say what they want and let the public judge by themselves? Is that so hard to do nowadays? You just don't endorse anything individuals say, that's all.

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#64

Post by jasonlotito »

chmod775 wrote: post #40
jressey wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let me summarize: 'Thoughts and prayers to the people of Hong Kong.'

Alternatively: "I don't want other people's pain and suffering to ruin my good time. Please suffer quietly and out of sight."

But that's already been happening for years. It wasn't until Blizzard banned a HS player that people got riled up. Prior to that, no one really cared. In fact, those doing the boycott weren't planning on doing anything prior to this. It wasn't until the community they were apart of was affected that they did something.

If anything, Blizzard doing what it did helped the cause more than anything. If they hadn't done anything, no one would have cared (because people weren't doing a damn thing on this scale before).

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#65

Post by stronglikedan »

madez wrote: post #9
bovermyer wrote: post #6

As long as the protesters don't disrupt the experience that I paid for too much, they can do whatever they want. After weighing the facts carefully, I've decided that Blizzard was justified in penalizing the Hearthstone player, justified in penalizing the two casters, and truly abysmal at managing public relations. My position on Hong Kong is unchanged. I'm still firmly of the belief that China needs to grant Hong Ko…

Protest is supposed to interrupt, to be there where it isn't wanted. It is supposed to be inconvenient and blocking.

If you stand on the side of the road with your signs, I may read your signs, and I might even be sympathetic to your cause. If you block the road with your signs, I definitely won't read your signs, and I definitely won't be sympathetic to your cause. Same for any type of violence.

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#66

Post by yannyu »

ekianjo wrote: post #63
CivBase wrote: post #50

IMO, Blizzards actions have been borderline incompetent. I completely understand them not wanting their platform to be used to make political statements. This isn't like the NBA situation where Morey used a private social media account to show support for his private political opiniona. This was a platform owned by Blizzard with a very specific content focus. But banning Blitzchung for any amount of time was just dum…

> "We encourage players and community members to express themselves. However, our tournament coverage is a platform for Blizzard e-sports content only. Any future use of the platform to express personal political opinions on sensitive subject matter without Blizzard's express conscent will be met with punative action." How about let people say what they want and let the public judge by themselves? Is that so hard to…

As seen with the Daryl Morey, the Houston Rockets, and the NBA, the Chinese government will go after anyone they can when incidents like this come up. Morey's single tweet in support of HK resulted in China cutting off their relationship with the Houston Rockets and also calling for Morey to be disciplined or punished by the NBA. In this case, the NBA hasn't done anything specific to Morey. However, many people are expecting some sort of retaliation from China against the NBA in the future.

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#67

Post by snapwich »

ekianjo wrote: post #63
CivBase wrote: post #50

IMO, Blizzards actions have been borderline incompetent. I completely understand them not wanting their platform to be used to make political statements. This isn't like the NBA situation where Morey used a private social media account to show support for his private political opiniona. This was a platform owned by Blizzard with a very specific content focus. But banning Blitzchung for any amount of time was just dum…

> "We encourage players and community members to express themselves. However, our tournament coverage is a platform for Blizzard e-sports content only. Any future use of the platform to express personal political opinions on sensitive subject matter without Blizzard's express conscent will be met with punative action." How about let people say what they want and let the public judge by themselves? Is that so hard to…

So turn all platforms into 4chan, is that what you're suggesting?

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#68

Post by kevin_b_er »

CivBase wrote: post #50

IMO, Blizzards actions have been borderline incompetent. I completely understand them not wanting their platform to be used to make political statements. This isn't like the NBA situation where Morey used a private social media account to show support for his private political opiniona. This was a platform owned by Blizzard with a very specific content focus. But banning Blitzchung for any amount of time was just dum…

The Communist Party of China may have strongly hinted (read: threatened) Blizzard over such a thing not being permitted and if it occurred that severe consequences would happen.

So Blizzard was not quite incompetent, they were just panic hedging against financial threats and to appease the Communist Party of China.

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#69

Post by mdorazio »

CivBase wrote: post #50

IMO, Blizzards actions have been borderline incompetent. I completely understand them not wanting their platform to be used to make political statements. This isn't like the NBA situation where Morey used a private social media account to show support for his private political opiniona. This was a platform owned by Blizzard with a very specific content focus. But banning Blitzchung for any amount of time was just dum…

I think it still would have been met with backlash because Blizzard previously hopped on the sociopolitical issue bandwagon when they thought it would win them public points [1]. A lot of people see the current situation as transparent bullshit because Blizzard obviously wants to have its cake and eat it, too.

[1] https://www.gameskinny.com/as926/blizzard-entertainment-says...

Re: BlizzCon 2019 Protest “Full-Steam Ahead,” Say Organizers

#70

Post by me_me_me »

chii wrote: post #10
me_me_me wrote: post #3

This will be truly interesting to see. I wonder what can Blizzard possibly do for this not to spiral out of control and please West and China at the same time. I do not envy their PR department right now. But then again its all their own doing, so ready up the popcorn...

they cannot please both. They will have to ride out the bad PR in the west, because they cannot afford to ride out the chinese market's dominance and profits.

>they cannot please both

Well that's my guess, but that's not what your boss would tell you to do :D

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