Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzard Entertainment’s president, J. Allen Brack, said over the weekend that he would „accept accountability“ for a controversy involving a professional gamer who supported the protests in Hong Kong.

Last month, Blizzard’s parent company, Activision Blizzard, received a letter from a bipartisan group of US lawmakers accusing Blizzard of censoring the professional gamer Ng Wai Chung, known as „Blitzchung,“ to protect its business interests in China.

Blizzard punished Blitzchung after he called for the liberation of Hong Kong during an interview at a Blizzard-sponsored event on October 5. Blizzard initially responded by stripping Blitzchung of his prize money and barring him and the two commentators who conducted the interview from „Hearthstone“ competitions for one year.

The suspension was later reduced to six months — Blizzard said Blitzchung was punished for making political statements that drew attention away from the video game competition.

Brack said China was not a factor in Blizzard’s decision-making, but the punishment garnered widespread criticism and protests at Blizzard’s annual fan conference, BlizzCon, on Friday.

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In his first public appearance since Blizzard Entertainment sparked an international controversy, the company’s president, J. Allen Brack, apologized to fans and said he would „accept accountability“ for the company’s decision to punish a professional gamer who supported the protests in Hong Kong — but the player will remain suspended from competitions until March.

Blizzard suspended the „Hearthstone“ competitor Ng Wai Chung, known as „Blitzchung,“ and two commentators from „Hearthstone“ competitions for six months after Blitzchung called for the liberation of Hong Kong during a postmatch interview at a Blizzard-sponsored event on October 5. Blizzard’s decision, which originally included a one-year suspension and stripped Blitzchung of thousands of dollars in prize money, drew the attention of US lawmakers and left fans threatening to boycott.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers accused Blizzard of censoring Blitzchung to protect its business interests in China and sent a letter asking Blizzard’s parent company, Activision Blizzard, to reverse the punishment.

Nearly a month after Blitzchung’s suspension, protesters lined up outside BlizzCon, Blizzard’s annual fan convention in Anaheim, California, to express their support for the protests in Hong Kong and rally against Blizzard’s punishment throughout the weekend.

BlizzCon Protests Tiffany Chang/Business Insider

Brack addressed the situation during the opening moments of BlizzCon, but his comments did not acknowledge the accusations that Blizzard was censoring Blitzchung to satisfy Chinese interests. In previous statements, Brack said that China was not a factor in Blizzard’s decision-making and that Blizzard decided to punish Blitzchung for drawing attention away from the video game competition with political comments.

„Blizzard had a chance to bring the world together in a tough ‚Hearthstone‘ esports moment about a month ago, and we did not,“ Brack told the audience at BlizzCon. „We moved too quickly in our decision-making, and to make matters worse we were too slow to talk to all of you.“

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In his opening statement for #BlizzCon2019, Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack spoke to the company’s decision to suspend @blitzchunghs, saying „we have failed in our purpose.“ Watch: pic.twitter.com/MprX4GPDKC

Brack later reaffirmed Blizzard’s stance on the suspension in an interview with PC Gamer.

In the days following the announcement of Blitzchung’s suspension on October 8, Blizzard fans organized boycotts of the company on social media, and a group of employees staged a walkout at the company’s headquarters. Critics accused Blizzard of violating its company value of „Every Voice Matters.“ The company remained silent for days as the controversy drew the attention of US lawmakers including Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

At BlizzCon, Brack said that he would „accept accountability“ for the situation and that Blizzard was committed to doing better in the future. He said the company would continue trying to connect people around the world through video games. There was no mention of lifting Blitzchung’s suspension.

Outside, protesters continued to chant in support of the professional gamer and his pro-Hong Kong message through the weekend, while Blizzard shifted its focus back to video games.

You can read Brack’s full opening statement at BlizzCon below:

„Blizzard had a chance to bring the world together in a tough ‚Hearthstone‘ esports moment about a month ago, and we did not. We moved too quickly in our decision-making, and to make matters worse, we were too slow to talk to all of you.

„When I think about what I’m most unhappy about, it’s really two things — the first is that we didn’t live up to the high standards that we set for ourselves, and the second is we failed in our purpose. And for that, I’m sorry and I accept accountability.

„So what exactly is our purpose? BlizzCon is showing it right now. We aspire to bring the world together with epic entertainment, and I truly believe in the positive power of video games. When we get it right, we create a common ground where the community comes together, to compete, connect, and play — irrespective of the things that divide us. BlizzCon has people from 59 countries all around the world here today, that is amazing. And that it the positive power of video games, to transcend the divisions that surround us in so many of our places.

„We will do better going forward, but our actions are going to matter more than any of these words. As you walk around this weekend, I hope it’s clear how committed we are to people’s right to express themselves, in all kinds of ways, and all kinds of places.

„As we’ve seen, and heard many of you expressing yourselves this morning. You use your vacation and your family time to be here in Anaheim with us, and we are so grateful, that you’re here. Our best moments are here in our shared passion for Blizzard games.

„So once again BlizzCon has brought us together, and you’re going to see a lot of the hard work of the Blizzard team.“