Blizzard Sponsor Bailed After ‘Free Hong Kong’ Gamer Ban
Found on Daily Beast on Thursday, 31 October 2019
After gaming giant Activision Blizzard banned a pro gamer who expressed support for Hong Kong protesters, the company has taken heat on all sides. Players boycotted Blizzard games. Employees walked out of work. Lawmakers lambasted the company for caving to pressure from China.
Two days after the company announced that it would ban Hong Kong-based professional Hearthstone player Chung Ng Wai, Mitsubishi Motors Taiwan ended its sponsorship of Blizzard’s esports events, according to Erica Rasch, a spokesperson for Mitsubishi.
According to Blizzard’s most recent earnings report, the company made 12 percent of its quarterly revenue in the Asia Pacific market.
For 12 percent (and the Asia Pacific market includes more than China) Blizzard has no problem to restrict free speech. Even worse, Blizzard really thinks people will believe that this has nothing to do with chinese politics.