ActivisionBlizzard is one of the most beloved brands ingaming. Fans are gaga about its titles, like the cartoonish shooting gameOverwatch, the dungeon crawling gameDiabloor the online fantasy gameWorld of Warcraft.
But the way Blizzard handled a live competition for its online card game Hearthstonehas soured fans.
On Oct. 8,Blizzard banned Hearthstone pro Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Waiafter he expressed support for Hong Kong protesters focused on democratic rights. He appeared on camera for a livestream during the competition wearing a mask similar to those worn by protesters in the beleaguered city’s streets and said, “Liberate Hong Kong!”
Blizzard initially banned Blitzchung from Hearthstone competitions for a year and stripped him of his prize money. Blizzard laterreduced the ban to six months and returned Blitzchung’s winnings. But that didn’t stop angry fans, whosaw the initial move as overreachand a sign the company had turned on them.
Speaking Friday atBlizzard’s annual Blizzcon fan event, President J. Allen Brack apologized to fans.
“Blizzard had an opportunity to bring the world together in a tough Hearthstone e-sports moment about a month ago,” said Brack,in a statement as the event began. He said the company movedtoo quickly when it punished the protester, and it was too slow to explain its decisions to the fans.
“We didn’t live up to the high standards that we really set for ourselves,” headded. “For that, I am sorry, and accept accountability.”
That may not calm some fans , who’ve beenorganizing onlineand planning to protest during the event.
Blizzcon isbeing held at the Anaheim Convention Centerin Southern California. CNET sister site GameSpotwill be covering the protests, as well as each of the announcements from the show throughout the weekend.
Blizzcon isn’t just about the Hong Kong protests though. The company also announced new games and an update for some of its existing titles.
- Blizzard announcedDiablo 4, a highly anticipated new installment inthe company’s popular dungeon hunting series. The company didn’t say how much it’ll cost or when it’ll be made available.
- World of Warcraft is getting an update as well, with a new installment calledShadowlands.
(The company) announced Overwatch 2, a follow-upto its popular online shooting gamelaunched in 2014.
Where
The opening ceremony is usually streamedlive on Blizzcon’s website, but for the rest of the show, fans will have to buy a “virtual tic ket “that gives them access to livestreams of competitions and community events. This year that ticket will set you back $ 50, but it alsoincludes digital cosmetic itemsfor each of Blizzard’s big games.
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