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Blizzard Favors Capitalism Over Freedom
Being nice to the communist government in China means big money for businesses like Blizzard. The Chinese market is billions in revenue; a slice of pie that Blizzard and other businesses feel that can’t afford to lose.
That’s why the consequences for Wai Chung, gamer tag blitzchung, and the two casters were so severe when, during a Hearthstone stream, blitzchung said “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age". Blizzard has seen what happens when the Chinese government’s feelings are hurt.
So immediately following this the two casters were fired, blitzchung was suspended for a year, and lost his prize money.
Now, according to Blizzard’s rules, at their discretion, anything that brings you into a public controversy and offends a group of people or a public will cause you to be removed from participating in their Grandmasters competition and lose your prize money.
However, the issue is the severity of the punishment. Does it fit the crime? Is it a crime to stand by people who support democracy and freedom?
It shouldn’t be, but businesses do their best to remain neutral to ensure their consumers are not…
