From China, been in US for 7 yrs. A Blizzard fan since 03.
I support Blizzard’s recent action to remove political expression in Hearthstone.
I understand for a lot of non-Chinese players the freedom of speech is a core value of human and I fully respect that. However, in a Chinese player’s value, separatism is as same level as supporting racism, terrorism, or non-free speech in your value system. And this cultural differences are not easy to be understand by both sides I believe.
There is a saying in Chinese “Seeking common ground while reserving”. Not everything you think is right the right for everyone else. I would say let’s respect each other’s value system and stopping arguing, in Hearthstone, at least. That is the common ground we have at least, isn’t it?
I respect a lot of fans if you are still outraged and uninstall Blizzard. Please leave your anger to somewhere else better for your voice.I can also tell you there are millions of Blizzard fans in China who support the recent Blizzard action. They don’t have direct access to the forum here (Edited for clarification:I want to express server separation and language barrier reason. Chinese version client does not link to this English forum but the one in mandarin.) and a lot of Chinese player are not a fan of opening talking political issues like this one (yes we do consider this kind of outside the game issue as political issues). So can we just not try to change each other’s opinion and leave them outside the game. It is like Human and Orc can stand on the same side of battlefield instead of fighting each other forever. If you still love this game, let’s play it together.
So I am just expressing a Chinese Blizzard fan think to all the community. I don’t represent all Chinese players. Just myself.
Back to fight the quest priest.
Unfortunately, what people from the area think is not as important as stupid people’s opinion on the internet.
i’m not necessarily arguing against for/against either side of the separatism argument for china with in terms of hong kong, but blizzard’s actions don’t really seem to remain on neutral as you’re describing, they banned him, stripped away his earnings, and cut away the 2 caster associated with the event, if they were truly neutral wouldn’t they have done nothing? not say they were for/against hong kong but let him say whatever they wanted to say in his interview so long as it wasn’t harmful as a means of free speech, however after expressing his beliefs on one side of the argument they gave him a harsh and disproportionate penalty, through bending the definitions of their tournament ruleset, and even punished 2 that weren’t responsible, to me it does not seem neutral, but on the side of going against hong kong (and against free speech)
if anything, you could argue that blizzard were the one’s making the situation political, they did not act neutral/didn’t care about the contents of his interview, they went out of their way to initiate a harsh punishment that felt like making a political statement of being against hong kong, which they didn’t have to do
I think you missunderstand neutral. It means not only not to take a stance either way, but also not be a platform for either party. As much as you may not like Blizzards decission, if they had done nothing, they would have violated that neutrality.
Dont you find it Ironic that you are using a free speech forum to support censorship?
Do t you find it ironic that millions of Chinese players can’t voice their opinion on this forum because of the same horrible government censorship?
We appreciate your opinion but I find it hard to believe that you would advocate for censorship when you are enjoying the benefits of free speech at this very moment.
The same type of free speech you want to take away from the people of Hong Kong.
You really aren’t appreciating his opinion, or listening, if you are twisting things to say he/she’s advocating for censorship. You’re even going so far as to say he wants to take free speech away from Hong Kong. You’re just on the outrage train, which makes you look really really stupid.
if we were anything close to china you would never be able to write this here.
Just because 99 are ok with censorship doesnt mean that 1 must be silenced for seeking liberty!
If you are willing to live as slave give away everyone that want to live free. you can suffer there yourself
I am saying Blizzard tournaments are not a platform to spread a political voice. Neither should any game situations. I feel Blizzard is separating games with anything non-game related. And that is right.
You expand the topic way out of the topic to Chinese government and stuff. I don’t agree with you but I don’t argue with you here at this moment.
That player was spreading voices that will cause hates or disputes in communities. Like if he says he is supporting racism or terrorism in the interview, are you guys cheering for the benefits of free speech as well and not asking any action from Blizzard either? That is the similar kind of situation to Chinese community.
He can have his only voice, he can say it. Separatism, racism, terrorism, whatever it is, unless it is publicly to thousands of viewers in a non-political related game tournament.
Again, game is game. Free speech is free speech. Don’t mix it up. Talking about games in game interview. Nothing else. Like those harmful opinions to certain communities.
Hm, you replied. I would have noticed sooner, but I was too busy enjoying a game of Hearthstone. Funny how a faceless person on the internet can feel so important.
Fine, for sake of argument I will argue like you.
“Oh I read his statement, he’s defending blizzard immoral action and saying that free speech only belongs in the West.”
(Blah blah blah blah blah muh emotions!)
“In China apparently they dont value free speech ( but I suspect that they are afraid of getting abducted at night, locked up, and getting beat up if they speak out of line with what the government allows).”
(Blah blah blah blah blah I am not chinese nor do I live there but I know what china is like because of my emotions)
“I think you’re the one missing the point and the irony.”
(blah blah blah blah blah blah I am going to look like I win every argument by constantly shoving things back at anyone who replies because of my emotions blah blAH BLAH)
The only thing that spreads hate and dispute around here is when you try to take things from other people.
You know, like right to free speech.
If China and Blizzard weren’t doing that, we wouldn’t have this problem.
Ironic that op Is living in a country that allows him to express his opinion that is against what the majority of its people or government believes.
Blizzard could have taken a much less harsh response if they were trying to just make a statement about not providing a platform for either side to discuss controversial topics. They however chose to take a response that is extremely pandering to the Chinese audience who has the tolerance of a four year old when dealing with ideas that do not meet the CCP’s approval.
If you really want to live in your CCP bubble, go back to the mainland where the government censors will work overtime to protect you from ideas like freedom, gay lifestyles, Winnie the Pooh and the concept of your government not possibly taking any wrong turns.
I didn’t think children were allowed to have their iPads or iPhones out in school. Get back to studying
I believe that people aren’t outraged that Blizzard pulled the VOD or punished Blitzchung, it’s that they punished him so harshly while releasing a statement admitting that they are on the side of what is pretty much a surveillence state.
That, combined with the fact that on their EN-side announcement they disabled comments (which is something that, from what I’ve heard, they haven’t done in years) makes it kind of obvious that they aren’t doing this because of the violation, they’re doing it for foreign interest.
(Blah blah blah blah blah blah I win internet arguments because I fling insults, I don’t need anything more than that to prove my point because of my emotions and sheeple mentality blah blah blah)
Ok, well, now that I’ve got that translated. Nanny nanny boo boo to you too poo poo head!
why do you care about a american country? tell us 
Stop tring to make us suffer your rules.
“you can have free speech but not here, not here, not here… you can get in that box and say what you want but please be quiet”
stop responding:
People of hong kong decided they dont want you
what gives you right to decide FOR THEM!
I said stop… you still doing it -_-
You are saying you don’t have rules under free speech?
I need to extremely care about my wording talking about racial issues or similar kind of political issues. It is called free speech, but free with certain conditions. Like I have free speech but I don’t call my African American friends N words. It is the analogy but you got my point.
But all I said above is not game related and should not be talked about in a post-game interview.
I’m sorry, no more responding. Enjoy the game, or life
free speech with certain conditions is censorship and never free speech
Free speech is right to being able to say other peoples do not like
free speech is right to say whatever you want as long as you dont lie
and you my friend… are a liar claiming you know better
even if you know better everyone deserves to take responsibilty for itself
so if you want to censor someone start by yourself and shut up! because I can only grant you respect of free speech if you support it. Just as love its not given freely to those who make suffer others
Agreed with that part.
so why disagreeing with hong kong? why they are tring to take away their right of being free?
I’m not talking about censorship but neutrality. If you give a platform to one side, you’re no langer neutral. Neutrality is about not taking sides. If Blizzard did nothing, they would be taking a side.