Saturday, October 19th 2019
U.S. Legislators Including AOC Come Down Hard on Activision-Blizzard on Blitzchung Ban
Three Congresspersons and two Senators, in a letter to Activision-Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick, came down hard on the company's decision to ban and withdraw prize winnings of Hong Kong gamer Ng Wai Chung aka "Blitzchung." In the letter, the legislators unleashed scathing criticism of the company's decision to place its market-access to China above its expectations as an American business to spread the core American values of freedom and liberty around the world. Among these legislators are Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Congressmen Mike Gallagher and Tom Malinowski; and Senators Marco Rubio and Ron Wyden.
"Your company benefits from China's growing market for e-sports, along with an investment from Tencent, one of China's largest technology firms. As you and your company are no doubt aware, the Chinese government uses the size and strength of its economy to suppress opinion with which it disagrees. Last week alone, the Chinese government targeted Apple for hosting an app to help peaceful demonstrators evade repression and the NBA because one team's general manager tweeted in support of Hong Kong protests," the letter reads.
"Your company claims to stand by 'one's right to express individual thoughts and opinions,' yet many of your own employees believe that Activision-Blizzard's decision to punish Mr. Chung runs counter to those values," the letter continues, referencing the silent protest by Blizzard employees by covering up a floor decal in the company's Stateside office. "Indeed many gamers around the world have taken notice of your company's actions, understandably calling for boycotts of Activision-Blizzard gaming sites," the letter continues, referring to the recent wave of established gamers either downright deleting their accounts, or cancelling their subscriptions to Activision-Blizzard MMOs.
Buckling under intense pressure in its home market, Blizzard last week reduced its ban. Bliizzard announced that it would be returning Blitzchung his prize money and reducing his ban from 1 year to 6 months. "Anger is still bubbling in the Blizzard communities, and with BlizzCon just around the corner, things are only going to continue to heat up," comments E-Sports Talk.
"As China amplifies its campaign of intimidation, you and your company must decide whether to look beyond the bottom line and promote American values - like freedom of speech and thought - or to give in to Beijing's demands in order to preserve market access. We urge you in the strongest terms to reconsider your decision with respect to Mr. Chung. You have the opportunity to reverse course. We urge you to take it," the letter concludes.
Sources:
United States Senate, E-Sports Talk
"Your company benefits from China's growing market for e-sports, along with an investment from Tencent, one of China's largest technology firms. As you and your company are no doubt aware, the Chinese government uses the size and strength of its economy to suppress opinion with which it disagrees. Last week alone, the Chinese government targeted Apple for hosting an app to help peaceful demonstrators evade repression and the NBA because one team's general manager tweeted in support of Hong Kong protests," the letter reads.
Buckling under intense pressure in its home market, Blizzard last week reduced its ban. Bliizzard announced that it would be returning Blitzchung his prize money and reducing his ban from 1 year to 6 months. "Anger is still bubbling in the Blizzard communities, and with BlizzCon just around the corner, things are only going to continue to heat up," comments E-Sports Talk.
"As China amplifies its campaign of intimidation, you and your company must decide whether to look beyond the bottom line and promote American values - like freedom of speech and thought - or to give in to Beijing's demands in order to preserve market access. We urge you in the strongest terms to reconsider your decision with respect to Mr. Chung. You have the opportunity to reverse course. We urge you to take it," the letter concludes.
62 Comments on U.S. Legislators Including AOC Come Down Hard on Activision-Blizzard on Blitzchung Ban
This letter amounts to nothing more than a slap on the wrist with a wet lettuce. If they want to really punish the greedy executives and shareholders of Activision Blizzard, start by banning loot boxes and forcing them to pay their fair share of taxes.
super yachtocean liner fund to keep the legislators & AOC off his tail.I am sure US senators would be making these same statements about protecting free speech if controversial statement was something they did not like or approve of. Looking at current issues would voicing support for Catalonian independence or for Turkish operation in Syria go over as well?
1. Support anti-china stuff, get banned from china and lose humongous amount of profits, eventually leading to company's/title/franchise death.
2. Distance yourself from politics and ban politicking.
The choice is clear.
On the flip side (and with more context as to why those particular legislators are noteworthy): arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/10/us-legislators-urge-blizzard-to-reverse-hong-kong-protest-player-ban/
But thats the problem with companies that answer to investors and shareholders. All these people want a humongous ROI and if they arent beating the previous years profits then these investors and shareholders think they are a dead company and not likely to keep their money invested in the company
Sadly investors matter more than customers in the gaming industry these days. Bobby Kotick has a networth of $7 billiion and $175million's worth of shares in Activision
in 2018 this man earned $30mil
What kind of person needs $30mil each year to live when he is also worth $7bil??? I understand being a CEO for a giant company takes some serious work but $30mil???
Bobby or its execs wont be getting a paycut or reduction in bonuses - they'll just cut staff numbers - lay off a few thousand then put out a recruitment ad for the same position but a much lower salary.
They dont want games to sell themselves. they want to release any trash that can be called a game and fill it with microtransactions because thats where all the money is... Forget putting in all the hard work and effort into creating a great game with content that pretty much sells itself like in the good old days.They want some of that Activision money.
So small that it's one of the only untapped market for videogames...Oh noes, $5 mil vs $30 mil, how ever would poor ol' Bobby cope.
Treating customers like sh*t on other hand can hurt in long term. Along with producing subpar stuff, throwing money in senseless ideas and so on..
Worst enemy of Acti-Blizz is they themselves and their infinite greed.
However, as a matter of facts:
- Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China until 2050, and China will get it Anyway 27 years later, right?
- A question is why do some people from the US Government interfere into internal affairs of China?
- Too many people around the world do Not know that Hawaiian songs were banned for a long period of time by the US Government
- What would you say if China would try to interfere into internal affairs of the USA with regards to rights of people of Hawaii in the middle of 1960th, or rights of blacks around the same time?
Absolutely Not interested to hear anything about all these demonstrations in Hong Kong, but I agree this is Not a right decision to ban that person. Unfortunately, they mixed Politics and Gaming.