“Thanks for reaching out. We strongly encourage everyone in our community to share their viewpoints in the many places available to express themselves. However, our official broadcast needs to be about the game and the competition, and to be a place where all are welcome. If we allow the introduction of personal views about sensitive issues into the channel, it ceases to be what it’s meant for – esports. We have rules in place to support this, to which these competitors, as well as others at all levels, have agreed. They knowingly broke those rules and we’ve suspended them from Hearthstone esports for six months. The ruling is available here.”
Blizzard reiterated a similar line from when the company lessened Blitzchung’s original yearlong ban to six months. Namely, the emphasis on Blizzard esports being a platform for the game and competition, rather than “personal views about sensitive issues.”
Original Story Follows…
Blizzard has banned the American University Hearthstone team from competition for six months for holding up a “Free Hong Kong, Boycott Blizz” sign during an official live stream. The punishment was handed out almost a week after the incident, but the American University team says it was to be expected.
As first reported by Vice, the American University’s three-member Hearthstone team consisting of Casey Chambers, Corwin Dark, and a third teammate called TJammer, has been issued a six-month ban from competitive Hearthstone by Blizzard. Chambers published the email the team received from Blizzard notifying them of the ban on their Twitter account.
Happy to announce the AU Hearthstone team received a six month ban from competition. While delayed I appreciate all players being treated equally and no one being above the rules. pic.twitter.com/mZStoF0e0t
— Casey Chambers (@Xcelsior_hs) October 16, 2019
“This is a notification that your conduct on the official broadcast for the Collegiate Hearthstone Championship on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, violated rule 7.1B… We expect all players to follow the Hearthstone Collegiate Championship rules.”
According to Blizzard’s rulebook, rule 7.1B refers to how “Participants may not take any action or perform any gesture directed at another Participant, Tespa Admin, or any other party or incite others to do the same which is abusive, insulting, mocking, or disruptive.”
For breaking this rule, the American University team has been banned from competitive tournaments for six months, after which they may “continue to participate in Hearthstone esports.”
On October 8, the American University team held up a “Free Hong Kong” sign during an official Hearthstone competition live stream. The decision to hold up the sign was in response to Blizzard’s punishment of Hong Kong Hearthstone pro, Blitzchung, who was earlier that week banned from competition for saying “Liberation for Hong Kong” during an official post-game interview.
At the time Blizzard banned Blitzchung for a year and stripped him of his prize winnings. Blizzard also terminated the contracts for the two casters who were interviewing Blitzchung. However, following a massive outcry from fans, Blizzard lessened the punishment for both Blitzchung and the casters to a six-month ban and reinstated Blitzchung’s prize winnings.
Blizzard claimed that Blitzchung’s message nor the company’s relationship with China had nothing to do with his initial punishment. Instead, Blizzard claimed Blitzchung was punished for using Blizzard’s platform to espouse a message that detracted from the game and the competition.
Many criticized Blizzard for not extending that policy to the American University team, who were not immediately punished for holding up their “Free Hong Kong” sign. It wasn’t so much that people wanted to see the collegiate team punished, but rather they viewed Blizzard’s inaction as hypocritical after handing down Blitzchung such a severe punishment for a similar infraction.
Now Blizzard has taken action. In a tweet announcing the ban, Chambers wrote, “While delayed I appreciate all players being treated equally and no one being above the rules.”
For a full breakdown of events following the Blitzchung incident, read IGN’s full recap of Blizzard’s Hong Kong controversy. Blizzard is currently planning for Blizzcon, the company’s annual fan convention in Anaheim, California which will run from Nov 1 to 2.
Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.
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